Councillor Column - 28 October 2026 - Cr Lesley Hewitt

Published on 28 October 2026

It has been an exhilarating week for Daylesford, with two important announcements for our local hospital and the future of health care in our community and its surrounds.

The Daylesford Hospital Community Upgrade Committee and community members were delighted to welcome Kate Kendall, Liberal candidate for Macedon, alongside Georgie Crozier, Shadow Minister for Health. Ms Crozier announced a $12 million commitment towards upgrading Daylesford’s Urgent Care facility should the Liberals form government after November’s state election, with work to commence in the first term. Our Urgent Care service is experiencing a significant increase in presentations. While Ballarat’s emergency department staff do an important job, the department faces considerable demand. Modernising our local facility would help more local people receive timely appropriate treatment closer to home, while enabling Daylesford’s skilled staff to assess patients and refer those requiring complex emergency care to the appropriate service.

There was more good news when our retiring Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas MP, announced $7.8 million for an aged care upgrade at Daylesford Hospital. Unlike the Urgent Care commitment, this funding comes from the Rural Health Infrastructure Fund and is not dependent on the election outcome. Our aged care team provides wonderful care, but the physical facilities need attention. This investment, together with the proposed Urgent Care upgrade, represents an important step towards a hospital precinct better equipped to serve our community. Advocating for improved hospital facilities is part of Council’s Plan, building on the community’s generosity in raising $100,000 towards a hospital masterplan five years ago.

Amid this encouraging news, I have also been reflecting on the distressing violence that left Helen Haines with catastrophic injuries. While the motivations behind the alleged offender’s actions remain matters for the legal process, the incident prompts a broader question about how we treat one another.

Aggressive behaviour and abuse are concerns across our community, whether directed at shop assistants, hospital staff, council officers, councillors or others simply doing their jobs. I was brought up with the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” I’m not sure that was ever true, and certainly not today. Words matter. They can encourage understanding and respect or help normalise hostility.

As ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess has observed in discussing community responsibility, addressing complex problems takes collective effort. We can all play a part by choosing our words carefully, disagreeing respectfully and remembering the person behind the position or uniform.

A stronger community starts with each of us. We may not be able to change the world overnight, but we can make a difference in how we speak, listen and treat one another every day.