Yass, we will take it
JASMIN Jones, a councillor in the small NSW country town of Yass, says she has a fix to Tweed’s hospital headache.
And it doesn’t involve a Panadol.
The mother of five children has been lobbying for a new hospital in her town for nearly a decade.
Like many other mums, Cr Jones gave birth to one of her children, her third, in an ambulance by the side of the road because Yass, with a population of 16,000, does not have a maternity service, and she was on her way to the nearest – 60km south in Canberra. The town only has a part-time midwife. As well, it doe not have facilities for CAT scans.
The NSW Government has promised Yass a paltry $8 million to refurbish its dated hospital.
About 1100km north, the Tweed Shire Council is squabbling over where to put a $543 million golden ticket new hospital.
Some sections of the community don’t want it on the government’s preferred site on Cudgen Rd because it will impact a sweet potato farm, that has been declared to be state significant.
They’ve even turned down multi-million-dollar gifts to build it down the road.
The sorry saga is being watched closely in other NSW towns, including Yass, and is frustrating people.
“I am gobsmacked,” Cr Jones said. “As someone who had been fighting for a hospital for years, surely the needs of the community need to be up held over all else.
“We are more than happy to take the money off their hands. I can guarantee you the people of Yass would be happy to see that funding now if the Tweed community is not ready or think they want more consultation.
“We have been crying out for services for years and would use them tomorrow. We have a council behind the build and just need the funding.
“Cross-border communities should be grabbing opportunities with schools and hospitals with both hands.
“If we don’t ensure a good future we are going to lose our families and young children to the big cities,” she said.
Frustrated Yass Mayor Rowena Abbey offered a straight swap with the Tweed.
“We need more services here, not just maternity, but oncology and the ability to do CAT scans,’’ she said.
“We have $8 million to upgrade the existing hospital to make it suitable for the next five years, but we need something in our future.
“A new hospital would also bring more staff. We struggle to even have a doctor on call on the weekend sometimes. I know many, even myself, who have had to take ambulance rides to Canberra.
“I’m not sure the State Government would allow it, but if the people of Tweed really feel they don’t need a hospital or can’t decide on a site, Yass will take it.
“We will even swap you the $8 million for a refurb of the existing hospital for your $500 million,” she said.
Tweed councillor Ron Cooper said a majority of councillors were still against the Cudgen Rd site, despite the second round of consultation and tenders.
“A majority of councillors will not support the rezoning of that land, but I imagine the State Government will go ahead anyway if we refuse,” Cr Cooper said.
However, he had little fear that the funding would go elsewhere.
“There is no doubt the funding has got to be spent here. If they go somewhere else they will be in trouble. It is politically essential the money is spent here.
“No one is opposed to the hospital, we are just opposed to the site.”