❓ Ms Mettam questions the basis for the $1.5 billion Building Hospitals Fund, given the lack of specific cost breakdowns for individual projects. The Premier defends the fund as a commitment to prioritising health.
AnsweredQoN 610Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Building Hospitals Fund
610. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Premier:
I refer to the
Premier's announcement of the $1.5 billion Building Hospitals Fund. Given that neither
the Premier nor his ministers have been able to answer how much each of the
three projects will cost, how was the $1.5 billion fund calculated?
610. Ms Libby Mettam to
the Premier:
I refer to the
Premier's announcement of the $1.5 billion Building Hospitals Fund. Given that neither
the Premier nor his ministers have been able to answer how much each of the
three projects will cost, how was the $1.5 billion fund calculated?
AnswerView source ↗
It is calculated by
our determination to make health a top priority of the WA Labor government. The
reason we have set aside these funds is to make it abundantly clear that these
projects will go ahead. Let me go through them, Mr Speaker.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, show some
respect to the Premier. He is answering your question.
Mr Roger Cook: It involves the redevelopment of the
emergency department at Royal Perth Hospital. This will be the first stage of,
ultimately, a redevelopment of the entire hospital. That is why we are
committing to a six-storey building to the north of Wellington Street at R
block as an opportunity to significantly change and revamp the way we do
emergency department care at that hospital. The important thing about this is
that it does not involve a disruption of the current ED, which is already
working really hard. That is a great opportunity.
The second aspect is
to build a whole new hospital at Peel Health Campus. We will do it on a
greenfield site, so again there will be no disruption to the current
facilities, but it will provide us with a much more efficient and smoother
build. We will be looking to get that build underway in 2026. Then, ultimately,
there is the purchase of St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital, which is a huge
opportunity for our public health system. We already lease out 100 beds there,
so an extra 100 beds will come onstream in the public hospital system. Of
course, it means we are bringing more health care back into public hands.
The $1.5 billion Building
Hospitals Fund is an important part of making sure that we can realise this
ambitious vision for hospital construction in Western Australia.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, this is your
question. Stop your interjections, even before your member asks the question.
our determination to make health a top priority of the WA Labor government. The
reason we have set aside these funds is to make it abundantly clear that these
projects will go ahead. Let me go through them, Mr Speaker.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, show some
respect to the Premier. He is answering your question.
Mr Roger Cook: It involves the redevelopment of the
emergency department at Royal Perth Hospital. This will be the first stage of,
ultimately, a redevelopment of the entire hospital. That is why we are
committing to a six-storey building to the north of Wellington Street at R
block as an opportunity to significantly change and revamp the way we do
emergency department care at that hospital. The important thing about this is
that it does not involve a disruption of the current ED, which is already
working really hard. That is a great opportunity.
The second aspect is
to build a whole new hospital at Peel Health Campus. We will do it on a
greenfield site, so again there will be no disruption to the current
facilities, but it will provide us with a much more efficient and smoother
build. We will be looking to get that build underway in 2026. Then, ultimately,
there is the purchase of St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital, which is a huge
opportunity for our public health system. We already lease out 100 beds there,
so an extra 100 beds will come onstream in the public hospital system. Of
course, it means we are bringing more health care back into public hands.
The $1.5 billion Building
Hospitals Fund is an important part of making sure that we can realise this
ambitious vision for hospital construction in Western Australia.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the opposition, this is your
question. Stop your interjections, even before your member asks the question.
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