With five days to go until Victoria votes, south-west councils are calling on the major parties for solid funding commitments for Warrnambool Base Hospital’s stage two redevelopment.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Warrnambool City Council mayor Tony Herbert said it was “absolutely imperative” there was a cash commitment for the next stage of upgrades.
“The government committed $7 million for the plans and community consultation,” he said.
“It seems quite unusual that funding package hasn't resulted in some sort of further announcement. It’s all ready to go except we don’t have the funding.The emergency department has outgrown its intended capacity by more than 10,000 each year. We are getting patients from all over the region and South Australia.”
He said the redevelopment was for the entire region.
“We really need the facilities for population growth. We need to match it with the most up to date medical facilities,” he said.
“In a modern country that’s what you expect. I don’t feel we should be treated differently because we choose to live in the country compared to our city counterparts.”
Moyne mayor Mick Wolfe said residents in his shire deserved to have access to the best facilities at Warrnambool if required.
“An updated hospital is good news for everyone,” he said.
“It will benefit all people in the region.”
South West Coast MP and Liberal candidate Roma Britnell said the coalition was “100 per cent committed” to stage two but couldn’t comment on how much money her party would commit as she had yet to see costings for the project. She blamed the state government for not releasing that information.
Labor candidate Kylie Gaston said when Daniel Andrews was health minister Labor funded the stage one redevelopment, which was opened in 2011.
"We have also funded the feasibility study and are now upgrading the hospital to level two which means better nurse to patient ratios and it bodes very well for the future of South West healthcare and the important regional role it plays,” she said.
Independent James Purcell has mooted the hospital should be re-located to Deakin University because it had outgrown its current site on Ryot Street.
He said it could be a medical training hub similar to other university hospitals across Australia.
In a candidate forum hosted by The Standard with Warrnambool College year nine students, Mr Purcell reiterated his view the hospital should move.
“We would get rid of parking and traffic problems, have a heli-pad and there is plenty of room for it to grow,” he said.
He said a medical training facility could help to ensure the university’s longevity.
“We could train all our doctors and nurses and have the best hospital,” he said.
“It is the answer.”
Independent candidate Mike Neoh agreed Deakin was a potential site for a relocation.
He said the current hospital could be used for allied health services while a new custom-built site could have the wards at Deakin.
