There are many ill people caught up in this mess and their welfare must be the priority.

The Albury-Wodonga region has been shortchanged by governments in providing a satisfactory hospital system for many years.

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Albury Wodonga Health operates within the responsibility of the Victorian Department of Health and is responsible for the Albury hospital.

Bendigo and Ballarat public hospitals have respectively 724 and 785 bed health service, we only have 337.

In particular, there are now many problems with Albury hospital - very long surgery waiting lists, up to three years for "elective" but essential surgery such as hip and knee replacements.

Many surgeries are cancelled on the day they are meant to be performed. People complain of no beds being available.

An immediate review needs to be done on how this has arisen and what can be done to rectify this appalling situation.

Recently, a very ill friend was sent home after four hours in the Albury emergency department. He had surgery at the hospital prior to this.

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My friend's health deteriorated greatly and in less than 48 hours after he was originally turned away his condition was so bad he was sent by air ambulance to Melbourne and had life-saving surgery that night.

A new greenfield hospital site needs to be built ASAP that houses all medical and other services under the one roof.

It will cost a few billion dollars but it is an essential service that has been neglected for way too long.

In the meantime, can we take over or use the Albury and Wodonga private hospitals and secure more beds and theatres?

Governments and our leaders need to step up; there is no point in promoting our region as a great place to live, work and play when the health system is in a crisis situation.

The state governments are still not committing to ending these stupid border closures, which are making people cautious about travel within Australia.

So, what does the federal government do?

It throws more money towards a selected few in the tourist sector.

This insanity must stop as the money tree is not looking so healthy these days.

The federal government needs to looking forward and planning into how we can handle the next pandemic as they do not come every 100 years as the Western world has been lucky in the past.

I hear all these excuses to defend our government's response, which does not wash.

If a business did not plan for possible events that could affect their business, they are running on luck not good management.

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