Wednesday 4 February 2009
SICK STIMULUS: BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BUT NOT A CENT FOR NSW HOSPITALS
With billions of dollars being proposed to be spent by the Federal Government on a stimulus package, the ineffective State Labor Government stands condemned for failing to have a cent of it allocated to hospital capital works in NSW, NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell and Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner said today.
“There wouldn’t be a man, woman or child in NSW who could say this State’s hospitals didn’t need a stimulus package of their own,” Mr O’Farrell said.
“I am concerned that with billions being spent on these packages, no money can be secured by Mr Rees to stimulate building or construction in NSW’s struggling hospital system,” he said.
“With many hospitals in a rundown, dysfunctional and shambolic state after 14 years of State Labor Government, there wouldn’t be a community in NSW that wouldn’t gladly accept money to upgrade or rebuild their local hospital.
“Just last week Nathan Rees went to Canberra to plead with Kevin Rudd to bail him out of Labor’s hospital crisis in NSW – Mr Rees has clearly failed NSW families.
“There are hospitals in NSW crying out for upgrades that have been long-promised by the State Labor Government, but never delivered.”
Mrs Skinner said Nathan Rees and John Della Bosca have let down NSW families.
“There is a long list of projects gathering dust on John Della Bosca’s desk – if his relationship is so good with the current Federal Government, as he often claims – why has he failed families, doctors and nurses in NSW to get Kevin Rudd to give funds to build these projects?
“Projects that Labor has promised for years remain undelivered despite upwards of $50 billion being spent over two successive stimulus packages.
“Hospital projects Labor have ignored include hospital upgrades or rebuilds at Wagga Wagga, Bega, Tamworth, Lismore and the Northern Beaches to name but a few.
“Other government portfolios have been granted large sums of money, but health has been ignored again by a State Labor Government that is all talk and no delivery.
“I will always fight passionately for NSW hospitals because our doctors and nurses deserve first rate facilities and our patients deserve the best quality care,” Mrs Skinner said.