To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives:

This petition of the citizens of Broken Hill NSW Australia

Draws to the attention of the House; The immediate urgency to rectify the dire situation in our hospital and nursing homes. There is an acute shortage of beds in the hospital and our Aged Care Patients are being sent to Wilcannia 200 kms from home, family and friends, to free up desperately needed hospital beds.

The Broken Hill population is 25% higher than the figures used to calculate current Health and Aged Care funding for the city.

The old hospital had 380 beds and the replacement has 80.

Broken Hill has given much to this nation and will do so again for the next 70-100 years according to recent announcements by Mayor Wincen Cuy.

We therefore ask the House to;

1. Provide immediate extra Aged Care funding to enable our elderly citizens to remain in their home town.

2. Provide immediate funding to our Hospital – increase beds and services appropriate to our population.

from 9,182 citizens