The Cook Labor Government is misleading the WA community over the timeline for building the new Women and Babies Hospital (WBH) at its original QEII site.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and Premier Roger Cook have repeatedly claimed it would take 20 years to build the new hospital at QEII. However, the Infrastructure WA Report commissioned to justify moving the facility to Murdoch and the Government’s business case on the relocation say it would be a 10-year build.
Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the Government had distorted the timeline in a desperate bid to validate its decision, against all available clinical advice, to move the hospital to Murdoch.
“The Premier, in Parliament yesterday, continued to push the false narrative of the 20-year build time, against the published advice from the government’s own experts,” Ms Mettam said.
“The Infrastructure WA report cites a mid-2030 completion date for the WBH if it is constructed at the QEII site and the business case confirms this timeline, predicting clinical services would be operational by 2034.
“While the Premier has been accusing clinicians who have spoken out against the Murdoch site of scaremongering, it would seem he has his own scare campaign in full swing.”
Ms Mettam said the Premier had also claimed an additional $228 million to build the WBH at QEII – and secure optimal clinical outcomes for babies and mothers – was too expensive.
“In the context of the $17 billion budget surpluses this Government has received over the past three years, this is a drop in the ocean – and a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of these vulnerable patients,” she said.
“Particularly when the government is more than happy to champion the $7 billion blowout in the cost of Metronet.
“It seems the Labor Government cares more about its pet public transport project than delivering a world-class women and babies hospital – as demanded by the almost 200 clinicians whose representations have fallen on the deaf ears of the Premier and Health Minister.”
