In parliament on Thursday, Member for Lowan Emma Kealy ask Ms Hennessey if the state government would provide additional money to the centre.

Wimmera Health Care Group chief executive Mark Knights said the centre needed $1.5m more than anticipated to integrate its own dialysis and community-based palliative care services.

A spokesperson for Ms Hennessy said the government would work with the health care group.

“Last year the Andrews Labor Government provided the $1 million needed to get this project off the ground,” the spokesman said. 

“We will continue to work closely with the health service to try and get to the bottom of this cost blow-out, and determine what action needs to be taken next.” 

The cancer centre project reached its minimum $1 million community fundraising goal in August and will start construction in the next few months with a completion date later in the year.  

Ms Kealy used her constituency time in parliament to pose a question to Ms Hennessy.

“My question is to the Minister for Health, and the information I seek is when the Minister will provide additional funding of $1.5m to make the Wimmera Cancer Centre a reality, as promised to the people of the Wimmera at the original funding announcement in Horsham on May 13, 2016,” Ms Kealy said.

“I quote the Wimmera Mail-Times article, "Wimmera Cancer Patients Meet Health Minister",13 May 2016: Ms Hennessy said the government was prepared to allocate extra funding if needed.”

Ms Kealy read in parliament from Ms Hennessy’s comments when she visited Wimmera Base Hospital in May last year and talked to patients about the need for the cancer centre and separate dialysis services.

Ms Hennessy said during the visit that the cancer centre was incredibly important.

"If you don't get there, we will," she said last year.

"We're going to build this. This project is not going to stop if the community fundraising falls short."

Ms Kealy said the Wimmera community had shown outstanding support for this project, having raised in excess of $1.2m.

“However, the total cost of the project has increased by $1.5m and now requires additional funding to ensure that people of the Wimmera can access cancer treatment, dialysis and palliative care in the high quality facility they deserve,” she said.

Mr Knights said the state government was aware of the huge amount of effort put in by the community to build the centre.

“The cost of the project is currently estimated at $1.5m more than originally anticipated in 2015 but we have been working very closely with the state government on this project since its inception,” he said. 

“We appreciate the support of our local Member Emma Kealy in raising the topic in Parliament today and we can assure both Ms Kealy and the community we are working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services.

“We have met with them regularly and recent discussions have included the estimated costs.

“We are confident that by working together, with both the opposition and state government, we are going to create a Wimmera Cancer Centre incorporating dialysis and community-based palliative care that meets the needs of the community.”

In May 2015, then Prime Minister Tony Abbott committed $1 million in federal money for the cancer centre.

The state government has contributed $1 million and Wimmera businesses and the Horsham Rural City Council have donated amounts of up to $75,000.

In October, Wimmera Health Care Group revealed that the centre would be built on the corner of Arnott and Robinson Street in Horsham overlooking Jadwa Park.

Demolition works have started at the site with construction due to start in the middle of this year.