MP sees merit in hub
THE federal member for Cairns has thrown his support behind a plan to expand Cairns Hospital to the site of the city’s iconic Captain Cook statue.
The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service and James Cook University have revealed a plan to lobby the Federal Government for funding to buy a vacant block of land behind the Cock and Bull pub on Grove St to develop a new medical research hub.
The $50 million centre would allow scientists to collaborate with doctors, businesses and medical tourists and would help bring Cairns Hospital up to tertiary status. It is hoped the new research building could be linked to the hospital campus via a walkway, similar to the hospital carpark.
Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said he had held preliminary discussions about the project with JCU and Advance Cairns.
He said the proposed development “made a lot of sense” for the city.
“We can elevate our hospital to become a university hospital,” he said.
“By putting in the infrastructure and the connectivity, I think that is what we need to be looking at. If that requires a bit of federal funding, I don’t have a problem with that.”
He said he did not mind where the hub was proposed, but believed the Captain Cook site would be ideal.
“I don’t mind Captain Cook there. I hope there’s a place for Captain Cook, if indeed he does decide to go down,” he said.
Property owner Graham Johnston told the Cairns Post on Wednesday he had no intention to sell the vacant block, which is currently used as a private carpark.
Mr Entsch said he respected Mr Johnston’s decision about the freehold land.
“To make these things happen, there needs to be a willing buyer and a willing seller, and I hope if that’s the best site, it’s up to him to make a decision,” he said.
“If he can see the value of Cairns developing with a university hospital, that may well sway him.
“But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t want to see a forced sale, like we’ve seen with the Smithfield Bypass.”
The health service hopes a level 6, tertiary status university hospital is achieved by 2020.