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.