Shadow Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, has announced a Coalition government will provide $10 million towards the ‘Peter’s Project’ campaign to build an integrated cancer care centre in western Victoria.
Mr Dutton made the announcement in Warrnambool, alongside Peter’s Project founder Vicki Jellie, Victorian Premier Denis Napthine and the Federal Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan.
“Tony Abbott and I have been working with Dan Tehan and the Peter’s Project Committee for several years and I am pleased to announce that if elected, the Coalition will deliver funding for vital cancer care services for the community,” Dutton said.
“I have been fighting tooth and nail to deliver this vital funding to our community since Vicki Jellie raised the proposal for a Peter’s Project Cancer Centre over three years ago,” Tehan added. “I am proud that a Coalition government will deliver vital cancer care services for our families here in Wannon because we all deserve access to specialist healthcare regardless of where we live.”
Dr Napthine said he was pleased the Federal Coalition had committed to ensuring that residents in the state’s south west would have access to the very best in integrated cancer care facilities.
“The Peter’s Project committee and the wider community have been working hard to secure these vital services for our region,” he said. “The Victorian Government has already committed $15m to deliver radiotherapy services to south west Victoria but this additional $10m will see our community benefit from a fully integrated, state-of-the-art, comprehensive cancer treatment facility.”
“We’re thrilled that Dan Tehan has worked so very hard for our community to secure this funding for Peter’s Project,” Vicki Jellie said. “We are very grateful to him for his commitment to his electorate, and for delivering this vital funding for our community.”
Peter’s Project is a community-driven campaign to bring improved cancer care services to western Victoria and was founded by Vicki Jellie following the death of her husband Peter Jellie. They recently launched the Peter’s Project: Target $5 million appeal and are calling on the community for support.
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