A move for the proposed Lower Hunter Hospital

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

While in Newcastle yesterday, Health Minister Brad Hazzard said he's open to looking at a proposal to relocate the planned Lower Hunter Hospital.

The proposal would see the site moved from Metford to Kurri Kurri and Cessnock Council has called on the government to consider the shift to an area of green space within the former Hydro Aluminium site believing it would better serve the Hunter Valley.

Brad Hazzard is happy to consider the idea, and as Health Minister only wants to the best outcome for patients.

"Certainly the advice I've had from the ministry and from the local health district is that they have already bought a new site and they think that site is a very good site but I am looking at the arguments both ways and discussing and challenging if you like, the bureaucracy there is, but I have heard that decision and I am looking at it."

But public funding needs to be spent wisely, and the minister says where the taxpayer's dollar goes is very important.

"It is always a case of being open to local communities and as the Minister for Health, I am. But I have to be sensible and make sure that taxpayers funds are used well. What the department and the ministry are advising me is that they're very happy with the site but certainly if there are other issues I'll look at it."

Health Minister Brad Hazzard

Councillor: ditch Metford and build Lower Hunter hospital in Kurri Kurri

BY JARROD MELMETH

Cessnock City Councillor Paul Dunn will be seeking the support of council to ask the New South Wales Government to abandon plans for a hospital at Metford, and instead build it in Kurri Kurri.

The site on which Cr Dunn has proposed for the hospital is the former Kurri Kurri Aluminum smelter adjacent to the Hunter Expressway.

Residents have raised concerns about the toxicity of the site, but Cr Dunn is assuring people, the land the hospital would be built on is "pristine" and "untouched" by the smelter.

"The site that we are looking at is a greenfields site. There is still trees on there and it has never been touched. It is a brand new site.

"We had a walk-through the aluminum smelter a couple of weeks ago and the small part of the aluminum smelter that is currently contaminated is going to be fixed over the next five years.

"That area is absolutely nowhere near the site that we are actually talking about," Cr Dunn said.

The $800 million Lower Hunter hospital was announced for a site in Metford in 2011, but there has been little progress since.

Cr Dunn said the hospitals' location in Kurri Kurri would create jobs in an area where unemployment rates are rising. 

"We are standing up for the community.

"When Hydro Aluminum left, it made a $50 million dollar plus payroll disappear.

"Kurri Kurri is absolutely dying at the moment. They are worse than pretty much every part of the Hunter when it comes to unemployment due to Hydro leaving.

"We need to see some growth, and it is the perfect opportunity for us to put our hand up as representatives of the local community and say "hey we want this on our doorstep".

"The local community is absolutely killing for jobs, especially for not only the jobs the hospital would bring, it is all of those smaller jobs like the cafes, hardware and everything else that comes along with big business like that," Cr Dunn said.

Councillor Paul Dunn.

  



















Interview with Councillor Paul Dunn:

Berejiklian Defends Lack Of Action on Lower Hunter Hospital

BY IAN CROUCH

 The state's Treasurer is defending the time being taken to start work on the long-awaited Lower Hunter Hospital at Metford.

Land was purchased for the project back in 2011, but only $6-million was allocated in last month's state budget towards further planning, with no word yet on when construction will start.

Gladys Berejiklian says the hospital is still on the government's radar.

"We'd love to be able to deliver everything today, but it's not possible. You have to make sure you identify your priorities, provide the planning money, provide the funding and then get on and do the job, and that's exactly what we're doing", she said

Gladys Berejiklian