Premier announces an extra $30 million for hospital

The premier made the announcement on site, saying the $30 million boost from the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government would bring the total investment to $150 million – adding new cancer and renal services facilities.

“We are ensuring world-class health facilities are delivered to the Goulburn community,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“The NSW Government is investing a record $8 billion in health infrastructure over the next four years, including record investment in the regions so that patients receive high-quality health care closer to home.”

The $150 million investment in Goulburn will go towards a new four-story Clinical Services Building that will provide the Goulburn community with:

She said the project would also increase car parking by more than a third and extend the Community Health building.

The additional $30 million will add new outpatient and allied health clinics, renal and chemotherapy facilities to the redevelopment.

Member for Goulburn Pru Goward said preliminary work on the redevelopment was progressing well and construction was expected to commence in the coming weeks.

“Early works to prepare the site for construction, and design of the new Clinical Services Building, is almost complete,” Ms Goward said.

“Hospital staff and the community have had a keen interest in this project, and the feedback they have provided has been very important in helping ensure the new health facilities meet their needs.”

Liberal candidate for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman said the upgraded Goulburn Base Hospital will ensure hardworking doctors, nurses and other health professionals and support personnel will have a workplace they can be proud of.

“Goulburn is a great place to live, and I have no doubt this redevelopment will go a long way in attracting more quality health care staff to the region,” Ms Tuckerman said.

The Premier dismissed suggestions that it was playing catchup on the budget and that the facility was under-funded.

On parking near the hospital, Ms Berejiklian said there would be a 34 per cent increase in parking spaces. 

“We thank the council for their involvement because we all want the same outcome. We want best possible hospital and best possible parking. We’ve directed all our agencies to work very closely with the council,” she said.

“I’m pleased there will be a 34pc increase in parking with stage one but there are opportunities to look at further options given the government land in the vicinity.

“Our agencies have been quite active on that and I’m looking forward to the council having their input. It depends on extra land options and while people say they want multiple storeys, I bet you people will come out and say they don’t want that. It’s not very accessible for older people and you want to make sure pick up and drop off is easy for people.”

Ms Berejiklian also responded to questions about whether this was the third set of architects on the project.

“That’s news to me,” she said.

“What we have announced today is not a cost blowout. It’s factually incorrect to say that. This hospital cost $120m but it did not have the oncology or renal services we’ve announced today. What we’ve announced today are added extra bits. It’s more than what we offered.

“It will require physical infrastructure. If you look at other areas, it requires a fit-out, reconfiguration.”

Labor candidate for Goulburn Ursula Stephens criticised the Goulburn Base Hospital funding announcement as “clear evidence that the upgrade project remains massively underfunded.”

“NSW Labor revealed in May 2018 that consultants had sought a further $80 million to complete the Base Hospital’s upgrade,” Mrs Stephens said. 

“These revelations were dismissed at the time by both Premier Gladys Berejiklian and retiring MP Pru Goward.

“The Liberal Government has spent billions of dollars to knock down and rebuild perfectly good stadiums in the Sydney CBD.

“Only a Labor Government can be trusted to properly fund our hospitals.”

Meanwhile, union members conducted a small protest at the site. 

Goulburn District Unions president Anna Wurth-Crawford said car parking remains a major issue at the site. 

“It is a tight residential area with a school next door and mental health services at the back. There is not enough parking for the staff, let alone the visitors,” she said. 

“We have also come down today to bring to the Premier’s attention the campaign for the ratios that have been going on now for eight years,” she said. 

“Regional hospitals still have fewer nurses than city hospitals. We still only have five nursing hours per day and city hospitals have six.

“We want the money to go into health and education - not into the stadiums being built in Sydney.”