Give us some respect, mayor in health summit plea to government

The entreaty came at the council's meeting on Monday February 19 and followed other councillors expressing disgust at the lack of commitment from the state government.

Former mayor Kev Poulton said it was "bamboozling" that a Victorian government was pumping money into redeveloping Albury hospital in NSW "while a Victorian council can't get traction to even have a conversation or get attendance at something so significant as the health summit on the 1^st of March".

He said the council had been "ragdolled" to "try to threaten us into retreat it almost feels like, but fortunately this organisation...has kept fighting".

"But I think we'd be fools to believe that we're going to have any substantial impact on decisions that are already substantially made," Cr Poulton said.

Councillor Olga Quilty said having moved from Russia she was shocked that a council in Australia was fighting through freedom of information laws to gave details of what was planned for its own community.

She said it was "appalling' the state government had left a "gaping hole" by opting not to attend the summit and compared the search for life in outer space to the attitude of Melbourne politicians.

"It seems to me that people in Spring Street are fairly sure there are no forms of life worth worrying about outside the outer suburbs of Melbourne, this is what it looks like to me," Cr Quilty said.

Councillor Danny Lowe countered Cr Poulton's perspective, saying the council was having an impact as demonstrated by the government's unwillingness to engage.

"They know they don't have the answers for us.....their silence is deafening," Cr Lowe said.

Cr Mildren said he believed momentum was building for the council's fight to have the Albury hospital upgrade reviewed and a greenfields site considered.

"We can't give up," Cr Mildren said, before pointing to the need to support the regional hinterland as well as the Twin Cities.

As more than 20 minutes of debate concluded, the mayor made his direct appeal.

"I would with great respect request the Victorian state government to have a representative attend the summit on the 1^st of March, it can be a parliamentary secretary, it can be a secretary of the department of health, it can be a senior official," Cr Mildren said.

"To not be represented at this summit shows huge disrespect to our community.

"Put all the differences aside, put any of the different objectives and politics that might be at play, put that aside and please attend to make this summit work to get a better health outcome."

Cr Mildren said it was important for federal, state and local governments to come together and "create something that is appropriate for our community".

Meanwhile, lobby group Better Border Health wrote to Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas on Monday February 19 urging her to rethink her decision to attend the summit.

"We sincerely hope you may reconsider your availability to attend the summit or send a senior representative of the Victorian government," directors Di Thomas and Stan Stavros wrote.

"A Victorian government presence would not only reassure our community but would also underscore your government's commitment to addressing the growing health needs of our region."

A representative of the minister previously stated Ms Thomas has a prior commitment on March 1.