WARD AND MARSH SAY PARK HAS FAILED TO DELIVER FOR SHELLHARBOUR HOSPITAL

WARD AND MARSH SAY PARK HAS FAILED TO DELIVER FOR SHELLHARBOUR HOSPITAL

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward and Shellharbour Deputy Mayor Kellie Marsh have welcomed the delayed appointment of BESIX as the main works contractor for Shellharbour Hospital.

However, Cr Marsh took aim at NSW Labor for delivering a new hospital that was missing key services.

“Anna Watson promised that the new Shellharbour Hospital would have a maternity ward to support young families and a growing region. It’s disappointing that the Member for Shellharbour hasn’t delivered, and Ryan Park as Health Minister and Minister for the Illawarra has also come up short. “It’s all good and well for the NSW Government to impose growth targets on us, but the services we need aren’t being provided as part of this new build. It’s all care and no responsibility from NSW Labor.

“This new hospital is a once in a generation opportunity and we should ensure we get it right the first time.

“If I’m re-elected, I will continue to take up the fight for a better deal rather than the Labor plan that is missing key services and supports that our community deserves,” Cr Marsh said.

Mr Ward said he had done all the heavy lifting on this project in government but now Labor was trying to take the credit.

“At least Chris Minns had the decency to acknowledge who did the work to deliver the Metro project. Sadly, Ryan Park and Anna Watson don’t have the class and shamelessly took the credit last week for a project they didn’t fund,” Mr Ward said.

“Labor have failed to ensure a helipad will be part of the new hospital when it opens in spite of the existing hospital having a helipad.

“Their plan is to land emergency patients at Albion Park Airport and drive them along a busy highway, then on Dunmore Road through a busy school zone in order to deliver emergency patients to the hospital.

“So if you are going to have a life-threading emergency, best you do that out of school hours! What a joke.

“In life-threatening emergencies, minutes matter and I don’t believe our community is getting the best possible deal,” Mr Ward concluded.

ENDS