Final say on hospital land

Land bequeathed to the West Gippsland Healthcare Group in 2007 for a new hospital is ultimately owned by the state government that would have the final say on what happens with it.

During last year’s state election campaign the ALP government that was subsequently re-elected made no commitment to building a new hospital although the LiberalNationals Opposition committed to the project, with a start to be made in the new parliamentary term.

A business case that looked at whether there should be a new West Gippsland Hospital on a greenfield site, the present facility upgraded or a new facility built on the current hospital site in Landsborough Rd, Warragul, was completed about two years ago but has not been publicly released by the government.

Questioned by The Gazette about the future of the 23.6 hectare property (58 acres) at Lardner Track, Drouin East, if a new hospital was not built acting chief executive officer Justin Walsh said final decisions on acquiring and disposing of property rested with the (Health) Minister of the day.

The property at Drouin East is currently zoned as farmland.

Local community lobby group “Where’s The Funding” lobbied strongly throughout last year for the government to commit to building a new hospital for West Gippsland and the issue was prominent throughout the election campaign in Narracan where Liberal member Gary Blackwood, a supporter of a new hospital at Drouin East, was re-elected.