A Senate estimates committee hearing has confirmed that the Government is in no hurry to grant a licence for an MRI machine in Warrnambool which would enable residents of the region to have cancer diagnosis closer to home rather than travelling up to three hours for tests in Ballarat, Geelong or Melbourne.

The community affairs estimates hearing last Wednesday was told the whole issue of diagnostic imaging and access to Medicare was being reviewed and would be covered in a report to the 2011-12 budget discussions.

"There is no planned expansion of MRI eligibility at this point," said Tony Kingdon from the Department of Health and Ageing in response to a question from Senator Fierravanti-Wells, who had asked when a licence would be granted for Warrnambool.

The senator asked if the licence had been considered then rejected or if it was just still a possibility. Mr Kingdon replied: "Without a commitment from government to expand the program it really is nothing more than they have made an application.

"But I think the important thing in this is that there is this review of how MRI is allocated."

Health and Ageing Minister Nicola Roxon was sent a copy of a petition signed by 26 south-west specialists and doctors calling for an MRI licence to be approved for Warrnambool.

The petition was accompanied by a letter from Liberal candidate for Wannon Daniel Tehan, who invited Ms Roxon to Warrnambool to meet the medical experts who signed the petition. Yesterday he said the further delay on an MRI licence was "totally unacceptable".

"Warrnambo ol is unique in that it already has the infrastructure and specialists available for an MRI machine," he said.

"It should be a priority on a needs basis."

Warrnambool-based oncologist Dr John Hounsell estimates at least 12 patients a week would go from the south-west to Geelong for screening services.