Rachel raised a question to the Minister for Health, on mandatory reporting obligations in Victoria’s health system. On the back of harrowing reports of serious surgical misconduct at Melbourne Private Hospital, Rachel noted a disparity of care within the health system, among women and people who menstruate. She asked the Minister what is being done to ensure that mandatory reporting obligations are taken seriously.
While Rachel did not get the chance to speak in the Legislative Council chamber, her intended speech is provided, below.
Wednesday the 4th of March 2026
Rachel Payne (South-Eastern Metropolitan):
My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Health, and the action I seek is for the Minister to advise what is being done to ensure that Victoria’s health system has a culture that takes mandatory reporting obligations seriously.
This week we celebrate International Women’s Day.
The theme ‘balance the scales’ is a promise that every woman and girl, regardless of background of identity, should be safe, heard, and free to shape their own lives. Unfortunately, we still face barriers to fulfilling this promise, while discriminatory laws, policies and practices persist.
In women’s healthcare, this government has taken meaningful steps to recognise and respond to how these barriers prevent safe access.
Australia’s first ever inquiry into Women’s Pain shone a light onto what many of us have already known.
We are left to suffer with pain for far too long because our healthcare needs are dismissed, disrespected or we receive inadequate treatment, leading to distrust in the system.
Part of the call for change coming out of this inquiry was that women want to be treated with empathy and respect and empowered to make informed decisions about their health.
Disturbing allegations about surgical misconduct at a Melbourne private hospital have again shone a light on the difficulties in answering this call. Reports are that a surgeon removed tissue and organs from young women for “severe” endometriosis when pathology showed they had little or no trace of the disease – leaving some in pain and with compromised fertility.
Women should feel confident about their treatment. These allegations dismantle this confidence.
It is particularly concerning that despite mandatory reporting obligations reports suggest it took three years since the first complaints to hospital management for them to notify AHPRA and that concerned nurses were told to write to the hospital’s legal department if they wanted support from the hospital.
These reports are incredibly distressing – it should not have taken so long for these concerns to be escalated.
I have endometriosis, many of my dear friends have endometriosis. You suffer from so much pain and the least you deserve is a medical system that you can trust.
So, I ask, will the Minister advise what is being done to ensure that Victoria’s health system has a culture that takes mandatory reporting obligations seriously?
Response pending 31st of March 2026:
Under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) imposes mandatory reporting obligations on registered health practitioners, employers and education providers.
Failing to meet these obligations is treated as a serious professional breach with consequences including serious disciplinary action.
Despite this there are still unacceptable instances where this is not taken seriously.
The Allan Labor Government is committed to listening to women and girls and providing them with safe and quality care. We are working to address the recommendations from the Inquiry into Women’s Pain report, to pave a way for a healthcare system that works in partnership with women to address their healthcare needs, including women and girls suffering from debilitating endometriosis and pelvic pain conditions.
In response to the February Four Corners investigative report regarding endometriosis surgeries performed by Simon Gordon at Epworth private hospital, the Victorian Government has taken a number of immediate actions including:
- establishing an Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Surgery support line to provide confidential, trauma-informed support, information, and referral pathways, particularly for former patients of Simon Gordon.
- a commitment to deliver further education and training for practitioners.
- A Safer Care Victoria (SCV) review of endometriosis guidelines to establish best practice points for clinicians and health services.
- SCV representation and oversight of an independent review of clinical governance at Epworth private hospital.
- Planning a Ministerial ‘speak up’ roundtable with key sector leaders
We will also continue to work with the Commonwealth to strengthen regulatory oversight and information sharing systems.
