In its most expensive election promise to date, the coalition has vowed to build a new $900 million children's hospital in Melbourne's rapidly expanding west.
The proposed 275-bed facility in Werribee would include an emergency department and be run by the Royal Children's Hospital.
If it wins office, construction would begin in the coalition's first term after consultation with the RCH and Wyndham council, which manages a population larger than Geelong and is expected to grow to half a million people by 2041.
"With nearly 1000 babies being born a month in Melton and Wyndham, we need a children's hospital in the western suburbs," Opposition Leader Matthew Guy told reporters at the RCH in Parkville on Thursday.
But the opposition are yet to say how it would source the health workers required to staff the site amid a nationwide shortfall, flagging an industry-wide policy will be unveiled closer to the November 26 election.
It's the 11th pre-election hospital construction or upgrade commitment made by the coalition as it seeks to attack the Andrews government's handling of the health system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the coalition's plan, hospitals in Mildura, Wodonga and Shepparton would double as healthcare worker training sites.
The hospital projects are estimated to cost about $5.5 billion in total, with Victoria's share of the cash slated to come from the opposition's policy to shelve the Suburban Rail Loop.
It remains unclear how much money would be freed up by slamming the brakes on the first stage of the project, a 90-kilometre orbital rail line from Cheltenham to Werribee via Melbourne Airport.
The 26km eastern section is estimated to cost up to $34.5 billion to build, but only $2.3 billion has been budgeted for early works so far and the opposition won't rip up those signed contracts.
Mr Guy insists the $900 million investment for a second royal children's hospital will be enough to build it without any federal funding.
Premier Daniel Andrews declined to match the pledge, pointing out his government built the Joan Kirner Women's and Children's Hospital at St Albans and is redeveloping Werribee's Mercy Hospital.
"Others will make promises. That's their job, particularly at this time of the year," he said.
The Victorian government announced in May it would recruit and train 7000 additional health workers, including 5000 nurses, as part of its $12 billion pandemic repair plan.
"A hospital without staff is just an empty shell. That's what we can see from Matthew Guy and the Liberals," Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.
In back-to-back media conferences at the RCH, the Victorian Labor government announced it would open two extra respiratory clinics for children by the end of next month.
The clinics, near the RCH and Monash Children's Hospital in Clayton, will offer free treatment to up to 150 patients a week and operate after 6pm on weekdays.
Mr Andrews said parents were finding it increasingly difficult to book appointments at bulk-billing GP clinics and resorting to rushing their children to emergency departments.
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