NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner and Kiama MP Gareth Ward announced on Tuesday that a re-elected Baird Government will invest about $5 million to begin the work to relocate and upgrade the Kiama ambulance station.

They pledged that the government was committed to detailed planning and work on the station, and it will begin in the next term.

‘‘Paramedics are one of the most trusted professions and I believe they deserve the very best resources at their fingertips,’’ Mrs Skinner said. 

‘‘A state-of-the-art station will benefit them greatly and ensure the enhanced delivery of first-class patient care.

‘‘Clearly, (it’s) the wrong location; hard to come in and out, I think that’s been known for some time, and it’s also past its use-by date in terms of modern, fit-out, the kind of training facilities and so on that paramedics now require.’’

The announcement forms part of a program which is upgrading rural and regional ambulance stations throughout the state.

Mr Ward said relocation of Kiama ambulance stationhas been on his agenda, as well as the community’s for many years.

He said it would result in better response times. 

Mr Ward said he would ideally like to see it co-located next to the fire station, but the location would be subject to the scoping study and consultation. 

‘‘By moving the station to a more suitable location, we get to achieve something that people have been talking about for more than 20 years.

‘‘It also means that this facility, this building may well be able to be used for something far more practical into the future.’’

Kiama Mayor Brian Petschler said council had been pushing for this move in strategic terms for more than 20 years, and they saw the site where the ambulance now stands as being an important part of the municipality’s cultural development. 

‘‘We see this as being a central point for cultural development in the area - a community centre, all sorts of things could be done here with it.’’

In December, Kiama council agreed to buy the Kiama Hospital site from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District for $2.82million. 

However, it will also have to spend an estimated $2.6 million remediating the site of asbestos contamination.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District previously rejected the council’s demand it remediate the site before selling it to the council.

Cr Petschler said discussions were ongoing with the area health service regarding possible financial assistance for the remediation costs. 

Cr Petschler said it was too early to say whether they would receive such assistance, and they had not yet had discussions with Ms Skinner about it. 

‘‘We are in the midst of signing the agreement to complete the purchase; that’s the first step,’’ he said.

‘‘Then we’ll undertake all those studies and have further discussions down the track.’’