A major Melbourne hospital has ignited nationwide debate after confirming a new directive that gives Indigenous patients priority treatment in its emergency department.
St Vincent’s Hospital recently implemented a policy requiring staff to ensure all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients are seen within 30 minutes of arrival. The initiative, designed to address long-standing health inequities, has drawn both praise and outrage from political and community figures.
The policy has the backing of Premier Jacinta Allan, who called it a “good example” of hospital leadership working to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable groups. “First Peoples have had poorer outcomes and longer wait times. St Vincent’s is addressing that by treating the sickest patients quickest,” she said.
However, Indigenous leader Nyunggai Warren Mundine has condemned the move, calling it an “idiot policy” that risks undermining public confidence in the health system. “We’re not asking for special treatment,” Mundine said. “We’re asking to be treated like everyone else. This should be about medical need, not race.”
Victoria’s Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas defended the policy, describing it as a “proactive step to close the gap” between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health outcomes. “St Vincent’s is serving its community and taking action based on the evidence that Aboriginal Victorians have significantly worse health outcomes,” she said.
The Herald Sun has reported that other major hospitals, including Monash Health and Peninsula Health, have no plans to adopt similar measures. Still, the Royal Melbourne Hospital is believed to have a comparable policy, though it declined to comment.
The controversy comes as the Allan Government’s Treaty legislation nears passage in the Victorian Parliament — a process backed by just 37 per cent of voters according to recent polls. Critics warn that the hospital directive could be seen as a preview of race-based policies under the Treaty framework, while supporters say it represents genuine reconciliation in action.
St Vincent’s Hospital has defended its approach, claiming that emergency wait times for Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients are now comparable and that the new policy has not disrupted hospital operations.
Greens leader Ellen Sandell also voiced support, saying: “First Nations Victorians have died waiting for emergency care at higher rates than anyone else. This policy is about ensuring they finally receive fair and timely treatment.”
