Campbelltown’s Labor MP Greg Warren has defended the ALP’s record over Campbelltown Hospital while in government.
Mr Warren used a Private Member’s Statement in Parliament to correct misleading statements made by Health Minister Jillian Skinner about Labor’s investment in Campbelltown Hospital prior to 2011, the final year in office for the ALP.
He said he was prompted to speak after the minister claimed that the previous NSW Labor Government invested “almost nothing” into Campbelltown Hospital during its 16 years in office.
Mr Warren drew attention to the $306 million worth of capital upgrades allocated to Campbelltown Hospital between 1995 and 2011.
In 2006, the then Labor Government allocated $112 million for the construction of new operating theatres and a new emergency department, he said.
This was followed by $194 million in the 2010/11 budget for Stage 1 of the hospital redevelopment, which was cut by $60 million after the election of the Liberal Government in March 2011.
“The minister and this government need to stop playing politics when it comes to Campbelltown Hospital,” Mr Warren told the House
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“In my 12 months as the member for Campbelltown, not once has the minister reached out to me to talk about the upgrades to Campbelltown Hospital.[/social_quote]
“The minister did not even extend to me, or to my colleague, the member for Macquarie Fields, the courtesy of an invitation to the opening of the stage one redevelopment.
“The minister must stop spreading spin and misinformation and start getting on with the job of providing adequate funding and honouring the government’s commitments to Campbelltown Hospital.”
