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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 978 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 4 December 2020 by Mrs R.M.J. Clarke

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

PEEL HEALTH CAMPUS

978. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Minister for Health:

I refer to the McGowan Labor government's efforts in keeping Western Australia safe and strong, in particular its significant investment in health services across the state.

(1) Can the minister outline to the house how this government's $152 million investment in redeveloping the Peel Health Campus will ensure patients across the Peel and Murray regions are put first?

(2) Can the minister advise the house how this government's record compares with the way the Peel Health Campus was treated by the previous Liberal–National government?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

(1)–(2) I was delighted to be with the member for Murray–Wellington, the member for Mandurah and the Premier on the weekend to announce the new $152 million upgrade to the Peel Health Campus. It was a very proud moment for everyone in the Peel region because, for years, they have had to deal with a hospital that was ignored by the other side—eight and a half years of no expenditure on the redevelopment of that hospital. We have to go back to the Gallop government days to see the previous serious investment in this hospital—$3 million under that government and $10 million under the McGowan Labor government to expand the car park and the ED.

Ms S.F. McGurk: How much under the Barnett government?

Mr R.H. COOK: None, minister. No dollars at all were spent by the Barnett Liberal government during its eight and a half years.

In 2019, the sustainable health review identified the Peel area as an area of extreme need, and in need of significant redevelopment. Since that time, the McGowan government has been working hard on putting together this significant development. The Peel region remains one of the fastest growing regions in Western Australia. This $152 million redevelopment will reinvent the hospital. It will take it from a health campus to a true regional hospital serving the people of the Peel area. This is a win–win for the locals of Dawesville, Murray–Wellington and Mandurah—for the entire Peel region—because this project will deliver on a key election commitment by the McGowan Labor team that we will, where it is possible, return privatised services into public hands. I am very proud to say that in August 2023, when this contract comes to its end, the public health services at Peel hospital will be brought back into public hands so that we can have world-class public health services for the people of Peel once and for all. More than that, we will continue to see private hospital services provided at that precinct by creating the opportunity to have a private hospital operating on that campus, similar to the Bunbury hospital. This is a great outcome for the people of Peel. It will significantly enhance emergency care, mental health care, cancer care and palliative care. It will have 63 more public beds, which will take it up to about 220 beds in all. It will have new mental health facilities—a new 20-bed mental health ward as well as a new 10-bed mental health observation area. There will be between 15 and 20 palliative care beds, member for Murray–Wellington, as well as between eight and 20 chemotherapy chairs. In the future, we will allow all those staff who work there now to transition across to the public hospital team with their entitlements intact.

Mrs R.M.J. Clarke: Who was the previous health minister?

Mr R.H. COOK: It might surprise the member for Murray–Wellington to hear that the former member for Dawesville was the previous minister and not a dollar was spent on this. A question to the current member for Dawesville is that if we were so unfortunate as to have to endure another Liberal government, would he bring those services back in-house?

Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup: I don't care who runs it. We've said that all along.

Several members interjected.

The SPEAKER: Members!

Mr R.H. COOK: What we have here is the usual equivocation! They have no plan for the Peel Health Campus.

The SPEAKER: Members! Thank you, member. I want to hear this in silence. Thank you.

Mr R.H. COOK: They have no plan for the Peel hospital.

Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, you do not get a free go! I call you to order for the first time.

Mr R.H. COOK: An election is in the wind. The people of Western Australia have a choice about whether we keep Western Australia safe and strong, and put patients first. For the people of Dawesville, Mandurah and Murray–Wellington, the answer is clear: only one government will invest in the future of Peel Health Campus and bring these services back in-house, and that is the McGowan Labor government.