Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s promised $632 million upgrade of Campbelltown Hospital has been revealed to be nothing more than smoke and mirrors, says local MP Greg Warren.
Speaking after the release of the 2017-18 budget papers, Mr Warren said they showed that only $5 million had actually been allocated.
He said Budget Paper No. 2 – Infrastructure Statement, released on Tuesday, revealed that just $5 million will be allocated for the upgrade in the 2017-18 financial year – less than 1 per cent of the total amount.
It also shows that the upgrade is not expected to be completed until 2024 at the earliest.
The community had every right to be outraged by the government’s deliberate deception, he said.
Mr Warren promised to keep fighting to ensure the State Government honoured its full commitment.
“Upon hearing the government’s announcement on Saturday [promising $632 million], I was hopeful for our community and our dedicated hospital staff,’’ Mr Warren said.
“However, after seeing the budget papers today, to say I’m disappointed would be an understatement.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Our community is right to be outraged by the Premier and her government deliberately deceiving and misleading our community.[/social_quote]
“Whether it’s families with young children needing better paediatric services, older people waiting for months on elective surgery waiting lists, or anyone being forced to wait hours for emergency care, this is a real kick in the guts to our community that desperately needs better health services.
“Our population in Macarthur is set to exceed half a million people within the next 20 years, so we need to be investing in better services now, not making token gestures and kicking the hard work down the road for another day,’’ he said.
This liberal government is only interested in spending money where its supporters live or where their mates can pick up a deal that is why Labor voting electorates are not in the Libs view particularly if they did not have forced Council mergers that are unpopular. bring on the 2019 election