❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier on the lack of progress on the Meekatharra Hospital redevelopment promised in 2021. The Premier cites a failed tender process and workforce constraints as reasons for the delay, while highlighting progress on similar projects elsewhere.
AnsweredQoN 145Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Meekatharra Hospital
145. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I refer to
Meekatharra Hospital and the Premier's 2021 election commitment made to the
community of Meekatharra as the then Minister for Health that he would start
construction on the new Meekatharra Hospital within the government's second
term.
(1) Why after a full second term of Labor has
there been no progress on this commitment?
(2) When can the people of Meekatharra expect to
see the redevelopment of their ageing hospital?
145. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I refer to
Meekatharra Hospital and the Premier's 2021 election commitment made to the
community of Meekatharra as the then Minister for Health that he would start
construction on the new Meekatharra Hospital within the government's second
term.
(1) Why after a full second term of Labor has
there been no progress on this commitment?
(2) When can the people of Meekatharra expect to
see the redevelopment of their ageing hospital?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The answer is quite simple: we put
out a tender and no-one tendered for it. We were very keen to make sure that we
moved forward with the Meekatharra Hospital, including Laverton Hospital and
Tom Price Hospital. I am very proud to say that works are being undertaken on
the Laverton Hospital emergency department, outpatients, mental health and drug
and alcohol services. I am also very pleased to say that we have made
significant progress on the program to develop Tom Price Hospital. The fact of
the matter remains, while our building industry is constrained and attracted by
big opportunities in the metropolitan area—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe!
Mr Roger Cook: The fact of the matter remains that undertaking
major infrastructure projects in these hard-to-access and remote communities is
very difficult. I know this. Meekatharra Hospital is an important part of what
I was doing as health minister. This was first in budget repair, for which we
had to stage the changes we made at that hospital, making
sure we undertook important repairs and upgrades in the meantime—then
as we move forward first of all to do the designs, we will get those requests
for tender into the market and then hopefully get on with improving that
hospital. The fact of the matter is that we have not being successful in
attracting a tender, and we need to continue to make sure that we do everything
we can to encourage hospital construction companies to take an interest in that
project. This is something that every government around the world is contending
with in the post-pandemic period, during which we have seen workforce
constraints in the construction industry that put limitations on how we can
continue to develop this important infrastructure. I am very familiar with
Meekatharra Hospital. Undertaking the work there is important to us, but we
have to do it in a manner that represents value for money for the WA taxpayer.
out a tender and no-one tendered for it. We were very keen to make sure that we
moved forward with the Meekatharra Hospital, including Laverton Hospital and
Tom Price Hospital. I am very proud to say that works are being undertaken on
the Laverton Hospital emergency department, outpatients, mental health and drug
and alcohol services. I am also very pleased to say that we have made
significant progress on the program to develop Tom Price Hospital. The fact of
the matter remains, while our building industry is constrained and attracted by
big opportunities in the metropolitan area—
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe!
Mr Roger Cook: The fact of the matter remains that undertaking
major infrastructure projects in these hard-to-access and remote communities is
very difficult. I know this. Meekatharra Hospital is an important part of what
I was doing as health minister. This was first in budget repair, for which we
had to stage the changes we made at that hospital, making
sure we undertook important repairs and upgrades in the meantime—then
as we move forward first of all to do the designs, we will get those requests
for tender into the market and then hopefully get on with improving that
hospital. The fact of the matter is that we have not being successful in
attracting a tender, and we need to continue to make sure that we do everything
we can to encourage hospital construction companies to take an interest in that
project. This is something that every government around the world is contending
with in the post-pandemic period, during which we have seen workforce
constraints in the construction industry that put limitations on how we can
continue to develop this important infrastructure. I am very familiar with
Meekatharra Hospital. Undertaking the work there is important to us, but we
have to do it in a manner that represents value for money for the WA taxpayer.
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