❓ Ms Freeman asks about the government's commitment to funding a new cancer service in Albany. The Minister for Health outlines the government's $13 million commitment to developing radiation oncology services at Albany Health Campus, highlighting the benefits for local cancer patients.
AnsweredQoN 113Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALBANY HEALTH CAMPUS —
RADIATION ONCOLOGY SERVICES
113. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to putting patients first and delivering
high-quality health services for people right across Western Australia.
Can the minister outline to the
house how this government's commitment to fund a new, lifesaving cancer
service in Albany will make a difference for cancer patients across the great
southern who need treatment?
RADIATION ONCOLOGY SERVICES
113. Ms J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to putting patients first and delivering
high-quality health services for people right across Western Australia.
Can the minister outline to the
house how this government's commitment to fund a new, lifesaving cancer
service in Albany will make a difference for cancer patients across the great
southern who need treatment?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
I am delighted to rise to provide the house with some details on this morning's
announcement in Albany. At the outset, can I say that this is a great win for
the people of Albany and the great southern. It is a terrific outcome and I am
really proud and pleased to be part of the announcement. It is also a great win
for Mary Williams, who led the community fight to bring this facility to Albany
Health Campus.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party, you can have your little say outside because you will be going
home early. I call you to order for the second time. This is a very important
announcement and I want to hear it.
Mr R.H. COOK : This is a great
win for Mary Williams and the organisation she has led to get this terrific
outcome for the people of Albany and the great southern. It is also a great win
for the local member. I acknowledge his hard work and his steely focus on getting
outcomes for the people of Albany. I now assume I can go on for about another
20 minutes!
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : I want to hear
what the minister is saying.
Mr R.H. COOK : As the Premier
alluded to earlier in question time, I was in Albany this morning to announce
that the government has committed to developing radiation oncology services at
Albany Health Campus. Utilising just over $13 million, we will add to the
comprehensive cancer services that are already on offer at Albany hospital,
including chemotherapy. In particular, this money will allow us to complete the
feasibility study that is already underway to ensure that we have everything in
hand that is needed to understand the full cost and nature of this project.
Careful planning and construction consideration are required to develop the
bunker that is needed to be built to facilitate the linear accelerator machine.
In addition, there are other infrastructure issues, such as the overall master
planning of the hospital and the availability of power and water. We are
determined to make sure that this project goes ahead. In some respects, it
might be seen as a policy opportunity, but it is one that we are grasping with
both hands. Because of the scale and complexity of this project, it is
important that we undertake the procurement process in an appropriate way and
make sure that we do due diligence regarding the finance. We are looking
forward to adding to the comprehensive range of services that are available to
the people of Albany, such as visiting medical specialists, specialist cancer
services, a day chemotherapy unit and a complementary therapy unit at Albany
hospital. For the people of Albany and the in excess of 350 people who have to
travel to Perth or Bunbury to receive radiation oncology services, this means
that they can receive lifesaving care in the communities where they live,
surrounded by the loved ones upon whom they depend. This morning, I met Karen
and Wendy, who are both cancer survivors from Albany. Karen spoke of her
experience of having to travel to Perth and stay at Crawford Lodge for in
excess of five weeks while she received radiation therapy. That was time spent
away from her children and husband. Members can imagine the difference that
this will make to people like Karen and Wendy into the future. I am very proud
to have made this announcement today. As I said, it is a great outcome for
Albany.
I was asked by the media about the
jobs outcomes from the project. We recently developed the step-up, step-down
facility in Albany, and I was very pleased to be able to say that it used
entirely local labour and created local jobs. I am very much looking forward to
there being a dividend to the local community regarding this construction
process delivering local jobs. My congratulations to everyone in Albany and the
great southern region.
I am delighted to rise to provide the house with some details on this morning's
announcement in Albany. At the outset, can I say that this is a great win for
the people of Albany and the great southern. It is a terrific outcome and I am
really proud and pleased to be part of the announcement. It is also a great win
for Mary Williams, who led the community fight to bring this facility to Albany
Health Campus.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
National Party, you can have your little say outside because you will be going
home early. I call you to order for the second time. This is a very important
announcement and I want to hear it.
Mr R.H. COOK : This is a great
win for Mary Williams and the organisation she has led to get this terrific
outcome for the people of Albany and the great southern. It is also a great win
for the local member. I acknowledge his hard work and his steely focus on getting
outcomes for the people of Albany. I now assume I can go on for about another
20 minutes!
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : I want to hear
what the minister is saying.
Mr R.H. COOK : As the Premier
alluded to earlier in question time, I was in Albany this morning to announce
that the government has committed to developing radiation oncology services at
Albany Health Campus. Utilising just over $13 million, we will add to the
comprehensive cancer services that are already on offer at Albany hospital,
including chemotherapy. In particular, this money will allow us to complete the
feasibility study that is already underway to ensure that we have everything in
hand that is needed to understand the full cost and nature of this project.
Careful planning and construction consideration are required to develop the
bunker that is needed to be built to facilitate the linear accelerator machine.
In addition, there are other infrastructure issues, such as the overall master
planning of the hospital and the availability of power and water. We are
determined to make sure that this project goes ahead. In some respects, it
might be seen as a policy opportunity, but it is one that we are grasping with
both hands. Because of the scale and complexity of this project, it is
important that we undertake the procurement process in an appropriate way and
make sure that we do due diligence regarding the finance. We are looking
forward to adding to the comprehensive range of services that are available to
the people of Albany, such as visiting medical specialists, specialist cancer
services, a day chemotherapy unit and a complementary therapy unit at Albany
hospital. For the people of Albany and the in excess of 350 people who have to
travel to Perth or Bunbury to receive radiation oncology services, this means
that they can receive lifesaving care in the communities where they live,
surrounded by the loved ones upon whom they depend. This morning, I met Karen
and Wendy, who are both cancer survivors from Albany. Karen spoke of her
experience of having to travel to Perth and stay at Crawford Lodge for in
excess of five weeks while she received radiation therapy. That was time spent
away from her children and husband. Members can imagine the difference that
this will make to people like Karen and Wendy into the future. I am very proud
to have made this announcement today. As I said, it is a great outcome for
Albany.
I was asked by the media about the
jobs outcomes from the project. We recently developed the step-up, step-down
facility in Albany, and I was very pleased to be able to say that it used
entirely local labour and created local jobs. I am very much looking forward to
there being a dividend to the local community regarding this construction
process delivering local jobs. My congratulations to everyone in Albany and the
great southern region.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.