Related content
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Kerry Hort was not expecting any surprises when invited to morning tea at the State Government’s community cabinet meeting in Goulburn on Thursday.
She was there with some 100 other specially invited guests to meet the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian and the 20 or so Ministers gathered. But she quickly became the centre of attention. The Goulburn Base Hospital redevelopment’s project officer was named the NSW local Woman of the Year for her services to both this city’s and Crookwell’s health sector over many years.
Goulburn MP Pru Goward said Ms Hort had worked tirelessly on the hospital’s redevelopment and had been “a much loved and trusted health professional.”
Ms Hort started her career at Crookwell and Goulburn as a midwife and quickly worked her way up into management.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and really have a great passion for the people in health care,” she told the crowd.
“In public health we don’t turn anyone away and our most important job is to provide the best care we possibly can and it’s been my lifelong ambition to make sure that happens.”
While Ministers assembled inside the Goulburn Workers Club, Labor unions held a small but quiet rally outside. Goulburn and District Unions president Anna Wurth-Crawford and NSW Nurses and Midwives Association representatives accosted Health Minister Brad Hazzard as he arrived.
“We were promised $120 million before the election for the hospital redevelopment but there’s no start or finish date,” she told The Post.
“I also spoke to him about the need for more mental health funding. He was not aware that Goulburn was an acute mental health admission centre looking after all the district. We also want to see more early intervention in schools.”
Also outside, Goulburn and District Unions member Jason Shepherd questioned the title – ‘Community Cabinet.’
“It’s by invitation only,” he said of the morning tea.
“I’m part of the community, where’s my invitation? It’s more of a show than anything else.”
Mr Shepherd said billions of dollars allocated for rebuilding Sydney stadiums would be better spent on schools, hospitals, rail services for Goulburn and boosting TAFE.
NSW Teachers Federation organiser Rob Long said 5500 jobs were “being deleted” from TAFE across the state, including more than 100 in regional areas and six teachers in Goulburn.
“This is a big deal in rural and regional towns that need services and permanent employees,” he said.
Labor is ramping up its campaign in the lead up to the 2019 State election but has not yet selected a candidate. But Ms Goward was not fazed by Thursday’s rally.
“If that’s all they’ve got, it’s not very scary,” she told The Post.
Ms Goward said the election was always hard fought and she’d give it her “best shot,” but unlike Labor, her party didn’t have the unions to augment funds.
Asked whether securing the Cabinet meeting in Goulburn was part of her campaign, she said she hoped it demonstrated that the government was very conscious of regional areas.
Talking up growth
This was the message Ms Berejiklian conveyed on Thursday. The night before she spoke to local business people at a reported $250 per head dinner in Goulburn.
“We know this community is on the precipice of something special. Business confidence and construction is up but we know as a government we have to step up and make sure we provide support and investment,” she said.
But there were no major funding announcements amid the two-day meeting. Ms Goward said she was hopeful of funding for Goulburn’s planned performing arts centre in a few months but there were many other vying projects.
Corrective Services Minister David Elliot announced that work was underway on a $47m high-security unit at Goulburn Correctional Centre to house 48 inmates, supplementing ‘Supermax.’ The project was announced last June to reduce radicalisation in the prison system.
Racing Minister Paul Toole also spruiked a $200,000 Club Grants NSW infrastructure grant for the Goulburn Soldiers Club kitchen refurbishment. The funds, which came from rebates paid on registered clubs’ gaming machines, were allocated because the Club was a dedicated emergency evacuation point and provided meals during these times.
On Wednesday, in his capacity as Lands Minister, Mr Toole officially handed over the title deeds to The Forest Cemetery at Middle Arm to a community trust, following a protracted bureaucratic battle over ownership. However this matter had been finalised last year.
On Thursday, Attorney General Mark Speakman said Goulburn would be one of nine court locations to host therapy dogs, helping victims and witnesses cope with the stress of appearing in court.
In addition, Ms Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro opened the Country University Centre, Goulburn campus at TAFE amid a small Teachers Federation protest about TAFE cuts. Later, Transport Minister Andrew Constance announced a new Trainlink coach service from Goulburn to Moss Vale.
Mayor Bob Kirk was one of several Mayors at Thursday’s morning tea, which also included community representatives. He earlier said he’d take the opportunity to speak to Ministers about funding for the performing arts centre and the aquatic centre. Detailed design has started on stage one for the latter upgrade, valued at $18m.
The mayor said if a hydrotherapy pool would cost an extra $4m to $5m.
“Those are two very important projects we are seeking support for in the immediate future,” he said.
“I will also be talking about regionalisation more generally, as opposed to decentralisation. They are two different things. Regionalisation is about having support for the regions and recognising that the solutions to many of Sydney’s problems lie in places like Goulburn.”
Cr Kirk was buoyed by the fact that more State funds were available for regional NSW and said the council would work closely with Regional Infrastructure Coordinator Ken Gillespie on opportunities.
He told The Post he was pleased Goulburn had been been selected for a community cabinet meeting and to have the opportunity to speak to leaders. But he had some reservations.
“I do find it somewhat unusual as the representative community leader that we were not aware of the program of activities scheduled because I had a lot of people asking me about the arrangements and I couldn’t give them answers,” Cr Kirk said.