ALECOMM

Former Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy promoted awareness of Victoria’s health and medical technologies by creating investment opportunities for the Chinese Communist Party during her tax-payer funded trip to China in early 2016.

Hennessy said the purpose of her travel was to “broaden relationships” with the Chinese Communist Party and “cement Victoria’s position as the key partner for Chinese health system development for the next five years”. 

Prior to Hennessy’s $29,000 10-day trip to China, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services had entered into a number of collaborative agreements with the China.

Memorandums of understanding had been signed between the Daniel Andrews government and Chinese Communist Party Health and Family Planning commissions from Jiangsu, Sichuan, and Gansu provinces, as well as the China National Health Development and Research Centre. 

During Hennessy’s trip, Victoria was named as the “key partner” for the China’s ‘National Healthcare Reform’ by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, created from the former Ministry of Health.  

In October 2016 Xi Jinping launched the Healthy China 2030 Plan — a national medium and long term strategic plan for the development of China’s health sector. 

Hennessy met with Deputy Director General of Finance, Department of China National Commission of Health hand Family planning, where she discussed the progress of the reform, stating “reaffirmation was given of the Victorian Governments commitment in supporting China through it’s reform in healthcare”.

The exact details of what was discussed between Hennessy and the Deputy Director General of Finance is not known.

The former Attorney-General said the Chinese Communist Party was undertaking “significant health reform”, and that her government could “take advantage of it”.

“Those directing the investment of substantial Chinese capital are looking for suitable investment opportunities overseas and health is regarded as an attractive option,” Ms Hennessy said.

“The Victorian healthcare organisations (hospitals and health services, medical research institutes, universities, private healthcare companies etc) can and have capitalised on our geographic advantage and started to build strong government to government, medical research institute and business linkages in China.”

China’s healthcare spending was projected to grow from $357 billion in 2011 to $1 trillion by 2020.