Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was delighted to help the federal health minister Sussan Ley turn the first sod of soil to begin work on Griffith's St Vincent's Private Community Hospital, marking the beginning of construction of a really exciting and much-needed project. The new $20 million private hospital will include 20 overnight beds, 20 day beds and two new operating theatres. This vital piece of infrastructure, which has been talked about for more than a decade, will help transform access to vital health services for families in the western Riverina. This will ensure the community receives the most appropriate care earlier and builds on the coalition government's ongoing commitment to improving the delivery of health services to regional and rural communities. Coupled with the educational networks now operating at the base hospital next door, the community hospital will complement a fantastic local health precinct. The Murrumbidgee Clinical Teaching and Learning Centre will be co-located with the new private hospital, presenting opportunities to train doctors and health professionals locally.

The federal government has committed $11.4 million to the project, and $1.2 million has been tipped in thanks to a fantastic fundraising drive by this wonderful local community. It follows a $1 million upgrade to the maternity wing at the public hospital, and an announcement on Sunday by the member for Murrumbidgee, Adrian Piccoli, and the New South Wales coalition health minister, Jillian Skinner, of a new $4 million ambulance station for Griffith. So things are happening in Griffith on the health front. As the federal health minister, Sussan Ley, said:

We have a simple vision for health nationally. It is to stop people getting sick—preventative health is vital as we move into the next generation, but of course, importantly, once they are sick to have been cared for in a first class setting. Put simply, with rural and regional health my vision is to close the gap.

I acknowledge the previous government promised this $11.4 million for the Griffith community hospital, but our government is delivering on that promise. Our government, along with the local community, is finding the money to fund it.

I took part in the fun run—the fun run committee was chaired by Councillor Anne Napoli—from the city to Lake Wyangan to also help raise funds. Another $200,000 has been tipped in from the fun runs since 2012 to also help this wonderful community project. As I said, $1.2 million was raised through community fundraising. This delighted the Mayor John Dal Broi, who said it was a proud day for the city and he rightly acknowledged the Spagnolo and Casella families for helping to make it a reality.

The crowd also heard from St Vincent's Health Australia board chairman Paul Robertson. St Vincent's contribution has been enormous. John Dal Broi said the council has been very proactive in making the project a reality—and indeed it has. Bishop Gerard Hanna conducted a blessing ceremony and said a prayer before the first sod was turned. It was a wonderful day, and it is a wonderful start for a wonderful vision and project for Griffith.