‘If not now, then when?’: WA Nationals send blunt message to State Government over Mid West health

The WA Nationals have implored the State Government to invest in health in the Mid West, saying there is no time like the present to invest. In a response to the State Budget, the Nationals outlined a lack of funding for regional health projects, including hospital upgrades in Mullewa and Meekatharra. Shadow regional health minister Martin Aldridge said funding for upgrades for some hospitals had not been given. “Whilst the minister confirmed this project would cost significantly more than the $6 million previously allocated towards it, the Government has refused to make extra funding available or provide a time frame for the delivery of the new Mullewa Hospital,” he said. “It’s shocking that years after coming to power off the back of their promises to build new hospitals in the Mid West and Pilbara, these projects have been pushed beyond the next State election and construction will not even begin in this term of government.” Speaking to the Geraldton Guardian, Mr Aldridge said Mullewa and Meekatharra were in need of upgrades. “These hospitals have served their communities well, but the time has come well before now where they have needed significant investment,” he said. “The Government has $10 billion in Budget surpluses forecast over the next four years. “If not now, then when do we think of Mullewa and Meekatharra?” In Parliament on Tuesday, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the hospitals, along with others in regional WA, are on the list. “We are working through innovative procurement models around how we can deliver those hospitals,” she said. “We are doing everything we can to ensure we get value for money and deliver upgrades to those hospitals.” The minister said there was budget allocation from previous years for Mullewa and Meekatharra. “We have absolutely not given up on Mullewa Hospital. Should we require further funding, we will go back to the mid-year review or Budget for the funding,” she said. “It is an incredibly heated construction environment and Meekatharra is a challenging location to build in, but we are currently evaluating the best ways to deliver that hospital and provide value for money for the taxpayer.” In the State Budget, Geraldton Health Campus received an extra $43.4m, bringing the total funding for the project to $166.1m as costs continue to escalate. However, the State Government is yet to commit to funding for an oncology department in the hospital, and is continuing discussions with the Federal Government for investment. The then-Morrison government in 2019 committed $9m for a radiation oncology service in Geraldton, with previous estimates suggesting another $10m would be required to put it together. Mr Aldridge called for the WA Government to match the funding, or risk losing it altogether. “I think the State Government, who is the richest State in Australia, should stop being so bloody minded about it and actually put cancer patients in the Mid West first,” he said. “The best time to do that is while we’re doing a major redevelopment of the Geraldton Regional Hospital.”