Tender delays hold up announcement of new completion date for Geraldton hospital upgrades

Geraldton residents are no closer to knowing when they will have access to an upgraded hospital, with the State Government yet to award a tender for the next stage of the redevelopment project. The State Government initially said the $73.3 million upgrade of Geraldton Health Campus would be finished by 2022, but delays attributed to construction industry pressures, workforce shortages, the COVID pandemic and cyclone Seroja pushed this back to 2024. Skyrocketing materials and labor costs resulted in an additional $49.4 million being allocated for the upgrades in the 2022-23 State Budget, blowing out the cost of the project to $122.7m. The State Government was asked during Budget estimates hearing this week when the refurbishments would be complete, but a WA Health spokesperson said this would not be known until a tender for the second stage of the works had been awarded. “All three tenders exceeded the budget of the previous procurement process. Construction of Stage 2 works will begin following the completion of the procurement phase (which is led by the Department of Finance), which will recommence,” they said. It comes after the Office for the Auditor General identified the Geraldton Health Campus redevelopment as one of seven major State projects which have had their completion dates extended by one year or more. The OAG report found the Geraldton project would not be finished by the proposed August 2024 date. Shadow minister for regional health Martin Aldridge said the report “solidified” the concerns the Opposition had previously raised about the project. “It is disappointing for the people of Geraldton that they don’t have clarity on when they can expect a completed redevelopment of the Geraldton Health Campus,” he said. Opposition Leader Mia Davies said it was important for an updated timeline to be released as soon as possible. “The State Government has failed the families and communities in the Mid West, leaving them waiting with no answers as to when they can expect the promised upgrades to the hospital,” she said.