Action on hospital
Action to progress a new West Gippsland Hospital at Drouin East was the big news for the district from last Tuesday's state budget.
Funding for detailed planning of the new hospital and aged care facility will be provided from the Hospital Infrastructure Delivery Fund and honours an election campaign commitment by Premier Daniel Andrews last October.
The West Gippsland Healthcare Group board has been pushing for a new hospital to meet the needs of the area's growing population.
Board chair Christine Holland said she was excited with the funding that would enable a start on a quality hospital to match the quality care the community receives from the staff at the current hospital.
Chief executive officer Dan Weeks said it was "great news" and what he was hoping to achieve from the budget.
It will allow us to kick start the project, he said.
Mr Weeks recognised the support and efforts of many people with special mention of Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing who, since entering parliament, had been a strong supporter and instrumental in securing the funds that allowed the planning undertaken to date.
During a brief pre-election visit to Warragul in October Mr Andrews committed the government to building the new hospital and aged care centre estimated to cost from $610 to $675 million.
He said construction would start in 2024 and be completed by 2028 with staff moving into the facility in 2029.
Despite the budget funding detailed planning Member for Narracan Wayne Farnham said it did not provide answers to when the money to build the hospital will be provided and if there was any change to the expected completion date (stated by Mr Andrews).
He said the community and hard-working healthcare workers needed to know that.
Mr Farnham said during the election campaign the Labor government committed more than $4 billion to fully fund seven new health facilities of which a West Gippsland Hospital was one.
Mr Farnham said he remained sceptical whether the 2029 opening date was still the target given "full funding had not been allocated in the budget".