Port Macquarie Hospital Excluded From Funding Submission: Government Known for Months

22 April 2009

A NSW Department of Health document obtained by the Nationals through an FOI request, suggests that the Labor Government knew about the exclusion of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital from the federal health funding months ago, Duty Member for Port Macquarie Melinda Pavey said today.

The document reveals that the Department of Premier and Cabinet requested a list of the projects that were submitted by NSW Health for consideration for the Health and Hospital Funding (HHF), of which two projects are specified as being excluded.

The document reveals that one of the projects excluded is Tamworth Hospital, however the second project excluded is blacked out.

“However considering the recent admission by the failing Labor Government that Port Macquarie was not included in the submission, one can only assume that the second project that is blacked out, is Port Macquarie,” Mrs Pavey said.

“It seems that the incompetent Labor Government has known that the urgently required hospital expansion was going to be excluded some months ago, giving the entire Port Macquarie community a false sense of hope.

“The hundreds health professionals who are worked to the bone, have been waiting to hear about whether the federal funding will come through, yet the Labor Government has known all along that it will not.

“This is no way to treat a community, and the Rees Labor Government must come clean about their plans so that the community is no longer left in the dark.

“I will be submitting an additional FOI in order to uncover as much information as possible, so that the community is aware of what is happening behind closed doors.

“I will also be attending the Community Rally on Monday, along with the Leader of the Nationals Andrew Stoner and our Parliamentary team.

“The Liberal/Nationals will help fight along side the community for this much needed project, as we believe in putting people first.

“The Liberal/Nationals are determined to restore honesty and integrity and make Government accountable to the public again,” Mrs Pavey said.