New hospital focus with historic display
Local community group Where’s the Funding for West Gippsland Hospital hope a display in Warragul’s central business district will continue a community push to lobby government for the muchneeded funds for a new hospital.
The NAB bank has allowed the ‘Where’s the Funding’ group and the West Gippsland Hospital Past Nursing Graduates and Archives committee to use their space for a display.
People can take a trip down memory lane with mannequins featuring old hospital nursing uniforms with bright red capes and hats. The original switchboard from 1940s is also on display, along with a photo of the old ambulance, medical equipment, photos and more.
Kerry Elliott of the Where’s the Funding lobby group said Jan Ashby and Anne Curtin were instrumental in setting up the display, which is hoped to maintain awareness of the support of the community for a new hospital.
“It’s highlighting the need for a new hospital,” she said.
”We’re also approaching businesses in Warragul, Drouin and Yarragon to display our sign or one of our shirts in the window.”
With the community changing enormously and its population predicted to exceed 60,000 in a few years’ time, the lobby group are campaigning for bi-partisan support for a new hospital on a greenfields site at Drouin East.
“We love our hospital and are proud of its 110 history, but our current hospital building is 80 years old now and not coping,” the lobby group said in a Facebook post promoting the display.
“We badly need a new hospital not continued patch ups of the old one.
“Enjoy the hospital display and please join us in continuing to message the Victorian Labor government and all other major parties and ask them Where’s the Funding for a new West Gippsland Hospital,” Ms Elliott said
The Coalition opposition has promised to start the build should they win government at next month’s election.