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General News, Government VIC

Monash Experts: Victorian State Budget, Tuesday 7 May 2024

Monash University 4 mins read

Monash University experts are available to discuss issues relating to the 2024-25 Victorian State Budget, to be handed down by Treasurer the Hon. Tim Pallas MP on Tuesday 7 May.


HEALTHCARE

Professor Helena Teede AM, Professor of Women's Health and Equity, Director Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, Monash University, Lead on NHMRC-funded International Advancing Women in Leadership Initiative and Centre of Research Excellence in Women's Health in Reproductive Life
Contact details: +61 407 005 737 or helena.teede@monash.edu 

The following can be attributed to Professor Teede:

“Many Australian women are affected by neglected women's reproductive health conditions; one in eight are affected by either Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis or premature menopause, for example, with their health needs often dismissed. Women also pay more than men for some medical procedures/scans. Governments need to continue to identify and address the gender bias, gaps and inequities for women and girls to optimise health outcomes. A greater women’s representation in healthcare leadership should also be a priority.”

Associate Professor Gemma Sharp, Head of the Body Image and Eating Disorders Research Program and Senior Clinical Psychologist

Contact details: +61 421 253 188 or gemma.sharp@monash.edu
Read more of A/Professor Gemma Sharp's commentary at Monash Lens

  • Mental Health

  • Women's Mental Health

  • Access to healthcare

Professor Chris Bain, Digital Health, Faculty of Information Technology
Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu
Read more of Professor Bain’s commentary at Monash Lens

  • Budgetary measures needed to introduce more digital health interventions

  • Improving access to medical services through digital health 

  • Impacts on the health services workforce

 

Professor Chris Langmead, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Contact details: +61 447 822 659 or media@monash.edu 

Read more of Professor Langmead’s commentary at Monash Lens

  • Funding to develop medical treatment options for people living with a severe or difficult-to-treat mental health condition, such as PTSD, eating disorders and schizophrenia, is critical.

  • Current lack of safe and effective medical treatments for severe or difficult-to-treat mental health conditions.

  • Economic and health consequences of not finding new medical solutions to treating severe or difficult-to-treat mental health conditions that will impact on the person, their family and carers, and the community. 

Professor Dan Lubman, Director of Turning Point and Director of the Monash Addiction Research Centre

Contact details: +61, (0) 408 284 178 or dan.lubman@monash.edu
Read more of Professor Lubman’s commentary at Monash Lens

  • Addiction and treatment 

  • Mental health 

  • Alcohol and other drug harms

  • Gambling harms 

  • Cost of addiction 


The following can be attributed to Professor Lubman:

“Regular alcohol consumption has been linked with over 200 diseases and conditions, making it a leading cause of injury, chronic disease and mortality in Australia and the world.

Despite policy measures to protect Australians, the harms associated with alcohol consumption are increasing, including being a significant contributing factor in family violence.

 

“Australia holds the unenviable title of the world's biggest gambling losers, as a result of losing more per capita on gambling than any other country. These losses are only likely to accelerate with online gambling continuing to grow, against a background of limited consumer protection, oversaturation of gambling advertisements, sponsorships and promotions that normalise and encourage gambling behaviour, and an absence of a duty of care from gambling operators. 

 

“Treatment for addiction is more chronically underfunded than any other area of healthcare and this urgently needs to change. Everyone deserves access to healthcare.

“One in four Australians will struggle with alcohol, other drugs or gambling in their lifetime. We cannot afford to keep ignoring this problem.

 

“We know that for every dollar spent on addiction treatment we save up to $7 and that for every dollar spent on harm reduction we save up to $27.” 

Professor Suzanne Nielsen, opioid expert and Deputy Director, Monash Addiction Research Centre

Contact details: +61 (0)437 629 158 , or suzanne.nielsen@monash.edu
Read more of Professor Nielsen’s commentary at Monash Lens

  • Overdose prevention 

  • Opioids

  • Harm reduction measures including drug checking and supervised injecting facilities 

  • Addiction and treatment, including pharmacotherapy 

The following can be attributed to Professor Nielsen:

"We know we need to double the investment in drug and alcohol treatment so that every person who needs it can access it.

 

“We have evidence-based drug and alcohol treatment and harm reduction interventions that save lives. We need to fund them properly.

 

"Study after study has shown that investing in drug treatment and harm reduction is cost-effective.These investments now prevent later harms, reduce the impact of drug and alcohol use on individuals, families and communities, and reduce the impact of drug and alcohol use on emergency services and hospital systems."

 

POLITICS

 

Dr Zareh Ghazarian, Politics Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences

Contact: +61 402 851 224 or zareh.ghazarian@monash.edu  

Read more of Dr Ghazarian’s commentary at Monash Lens 

  • The political implications of the budget 

  • General budget commentary

ENERGY 

 

Associate Professor Roger Dargaville, Director Monash Energy Institute, Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu  

Read more of Associate Professor Dargaville’s commentary at Monash Lens 

  • Implementation of the Victorian State Electricity Commission 

  • Stabilising energy grids after disasters

  • Energy systems 

  • Grid resilience 

  • Energy storage

  • Transition to renewable energy

Shreejan Pandey, Director (Strategic Initiatives), Monash Energy Institute
Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu 

  • Energy transition

  • Investment energy infrastructure

  • Investment in energy research, development, training and entrepreneurship

  • Energy reliability, access and resilience

 

Associate Professor Guillaume Roger, Faculty of Business and Economics

Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu

  • Electricity market design

  • Capacity Investment Scheme


Contact details:

Monash University Media +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu 

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