Wednesday, 5 March 2025

Albury Wodonga Health

Bill TILLEY (Benambra) (14:42): My question is for the Minister for Health, a born and bred border Victorian. Albury Wodonga Health starts every day, every single day, at least 50 beds short, with ambulance ramping and increasing surgery waitlists. Despite committing to a 10-storey hospital, helipad and multistorey car park on the one site, this promise has been broken. For a long time locals have been calling for a new hospital on a greenfield site. Why won’t the minister listen to Albury and Wodonga locals – once again, all up there, here, everywhere –

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Benambra knows not to acknowledge people in the gallery.

Bill TILLEY: and build the new greenfield hospital the community desperately needs?

Interjections from gallery.

The SPEAKER: Order! The gallery will be cleared.

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:43): I welcome the question from the member for Benambra because it gives me an opportunity to inform the house that works on the $558 million redevelopment of the Albury Base Hospital will commence this year. This redevelopment will deliver –

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I ask the Manager of Opposition Business for her point of order, I remind members in the gallery that you cannot interrupt the process of this chamber.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is already demonstrating that she has failed to listen, because she is not answering the very narrow question about a new greenfield site. It is on relevance, Speaker.

The SPEAKER: The minister has only been on her feet for 20 seconds. The minister to answer the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: I am very happy also to inform the house that I have met with many representatives from the border community. I have met with the member for Benambra on a number of occasions. I have met with the member for Indi Helen Haines. I have met with Better Border Health. I have met with the border doctors association. I have met with the mayor of Wodonga and the mayor of Albury. But I have been very clear and up-front with every single one of those people that I will not stand by and delay the building of much-needed health facilities for this community. We are commencing work here on a project that will deliver more than 80 additional beds for medical and surgical care; a new state-of-the-art intensive care unit; better and safer maternity and birthing services, including a special care nursery; a 32-bed mental health inpatient unit; new operating theatres; and a CSSD.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Member for Euroa, I will not warn you again.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is debating the question. It is about a new greenfield hospital site.

The SPEAKER: The minister was being relevant to the question that was asked. She so far has not debated it. I cannot tell the minister how to answer the question.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: Again, I will try and be clear. I have always been up-front that this government will not support this proposal, for which, to be clear, there is no site, no plan and no funding other than that which has been agreed to and announced by the New South Wales government and by the Victorian government. Let us be clear: this is a project with bipartisan support. It was announced by New South Wales Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet and our Premier Daniel Andrews at the time. Not only that, it is supported with funding from the Morrison government. We will not be changing our minds on this, member for Benambra. I have always been very clear with you about this. I have listened, but we need to get on and deliver the care and the upgrades to facilities that are needed in this community. We will build –

Interjections from gallery.

The SPEAKER: Order! Clear the gallery, Serjeant. The chamber is suspended.

Sitting suspended 12:47 pm until 12:55 pm.

Pauline Richards: On a point of order, Speaker, I would ask that you review the footage and the activities of this chamber in the lead-up to the clearing of the gallery. From the member for Euroa and others, we observed behaviour that was more typical perhaps of members of the Green party when people who were in the lower galleries stood and behaved in a way that was threatening to the safety of not just the members but the staff of the Parliament.

The SPEAKER: I will review the footage, member for Cranbourne. The house will return to questions. The Minister for Health has time on the clock for her answer.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: As I was saying, I have met with many members of the community and I have always strived to be up-front and clear. We will not delay the delivery of upgraded health care and facilities to the people of Albury–Wodonga.

Bill TILLEY (Benambra) (14:56): On a supplementary – maybe you might change your mind on this one, Minister – over 14 months ago –

The SPEAKER: Member for Benambra, through the Chair.

Bill TILLEY: Through the Chair. Thank you. Over 14 months ago this Labor administration proposed co-funding 20 extra beds at Mercy Health. Given Albury Wodonga Health remains under-resourced and in crisis, why has your government failed to deliver these beds that would take the pressure off the local health system?

Mary-Anne THOMAS (Macedon – Leader of the House, Minister for Health, Minister for Ambulance Services) (14:57): In responding to the question, can I just underline that less than a year ago I was in Albury opening a new $36 million emergency department at Albury Wodonga Health. A short-stay unit is due to come online any day.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the minister is required to be succinct in her answer, and she is not answering; she is debating the question.

The SPEAKER: I will give the minister an opportunity to answer the question. She has only been on her feet for a short time.

Mary-Anne THOMAS: As I was saying, our government continues to invest in the facilities that the people of Albury–Wodonga need and deserve, and we are proud to do this in partnership with NSW Health. NSW Health are leading the delivery of the new redevelopment at Albury, and I look forward to work starting on that later this year.