Government confirms commitment to Mullewa Community Hospital, blames rising costs and the pandemic for delay

The State Government has confirmed in Parliament it is still committed to building the Mullewa Community Hospital, and claimed delays to the project had been caused by labour and supply costs and the pandemic. The Mullewa Community Hospital was announced in March 2016, with construction then set to begin in the second half of 2017. However, after several delays, the project remains in the planning stage. Member for Moore Shane Love raised the grievance in State Parliament on Thursday, two years after last raising it. “Following 6½ years of briefings letters to the Premier, ministers and questions in Parliament, and advocacy from the local community . . . we still can’t be certain that the planning for the Mullewa Health Centre is complete,” he said. Mr Love said the removal of signs for the project in Mullewa and a lack of information had left residents distressed and concerned. “The Mullewa community do not believe their community hospital will ever be built,” he told Parliament. Simon Millman, parliamentary secretary to the health minister, confirmed the Government was still committed to building the health centre. Mr Millman said the timeline and cost of the project had been affected by rising costs and the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are in a tight labour and construction market globally, and WA is not immune to the effects of this,” he said. Mr Love also said consultation with the Mullewa community was sorely lacking, and Mr Millman conceded that although there was a community consultancy group, more could be done to communicate with residents.