WE HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THEM

Unlike Syd Cuffe, who attended Portlands Anzac Day service,

most of us will never experience the horrors of war. But young and
old gathered across the south-west yesterday to give thanks to
those men and women who did brave all for our country.
STORIES & PICTURES: PAGES 4-6
100425AS04 Picture: AARON SAWALL

South-west cancer centre a high priority: Hockey

JOE CARES
REGION
By ALEX SINNOTT

AN
improved
Princes
Highway and a south-west
cancer centre will shape up
to be the major issues for
the south-west ahead of the
federal election, according
to shadow treasurer Joe
Hockey.
In an exclusive interview before his visit to Warrnambool
on Tuesday, Mr Hockey told

The Standard that integrated

cancer care for the region was
a high health priority for the
Coalition
Peters Project has gained
huge momentum in south-west
Victoria and I look forward to
talking with those involved,
Mr Hockey said.
It seems like the federal
government is defying its own
criteria on radiotherapy and
MRI licensing.
Im sure therell be plenty

of people out there willing to

fill me in on the details.
Mr Hockey added that
the federal governments
health reform would be of
little benefit to south-west
Victorian patients.
I was surprised how
(Premier) John Brumby
folded in the end, Mr Hockey
said.

Victoria already has

case-mix funding and local
hospital boards so there is not
much change for south-west
Victorian hospitals.
The reform is quite impossible to decipher but appears
to be more of a power grab
than anything else.
Mr Hockey said he would
examine the need for duplication of Princes Highway
west.
While he would not commit

to giving the stretch of highway Auslink status, he said

the case for increased funding
was strong.
The last time I went to
Warrnambool, I noted that it
was a prime tourist destination, so Im sure traffic would
be an issue along the highway,
especially in summer, he
said.
Mr Hockey will meet with
Peters Project members and
attend a Liberal Party dinner

16-PAGE FOOTY/
NETBALL WRAP

INSIDE

in Warrnambool as part of his

tour of the region.
When asked about Wannons
transition from long-serving
member David Hawker to a
new MP, Mr Hockey endorsed
Liberal candidate Daniel
Tehans bid for the seat.
Wannon expects someone
to contribute at a national
level and I think Dan Tehans
the man for the job, Mr
Hockey said.
asinnot.fairfax.com.au