Shadow Minister for Health Libby Mettam is urging the State Government to prioritise the health needs of the community and rethink its decision to move the site of the planned new Women and Babies Hospital from QEII to Murdoch.
Ms Mettam said she was worried the decision to move to Murdoch would lead to poor outcomes for some critically ill newborns.
“The Government must listen,” Ms Mettam said.
“For many years the QEII site has been the preferred location for this critical health facility, and in that time there have been scoping studies, planning reports and consultations but I have been unable to find even one report or person that said the site was not suitable.
“The public is owed an explanation as to how the McGowan Government decided in just six weeks that it was no longer the preferred site.
“When former-health minister Roger Cook first announced the Women and Babies Hospital at QEII, he acknowledged there would be parking and constraint issues for patients and workers, but said they were nothing that couldn’t be overcome.
“So I find it hard to accept Health Minister Sanderson’s reasoning for this decision.
“Her decision to sideline WA’s health experts when making this announcement also speaks volumes.
“The Government has lost the confidence of the people of Western Australia with its disastrous management of our health sector.
“It is not unreasonable to call for a rethink on the new home for Women and Babies Hospital until the Government provides more detail.”
