THE UPGRADING of Shellharbour Hospital has sparked another war of words between the area’s state MPs in the lead-up to the March 28 election.
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Last December, Kiama MP Gareth Ward began lobbying his government to fully fund a $300 million upgrade of Shellharbour Hospital.
Mr Ward and Liberal candidate for Shellharbour Mark Jones launched a petition, which they invited community members to sign to show support for the project.
The pair also sent a co-signed letter to NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner calling on the state government to fund the upgrade.
The upgrade of the hospital - which was built in the mid-1970s - will double its capacity from 150 to 330 beds and will include 24-hour emergency surgery and an intensive care unit.
In the last state budget, $6.7 million was allocated to allow construction to begin on Shellharbour Hospital’s ambulatory care unit.
Mr Ward and Mr Jones presented some of the petition signatures to Ms Skinner during the Minister’s visit to the region on Tuesday.
‘‘I know it’s high on the agenda for the local health district - watch this space,’’ she said.
Mr Ward said they had collected at least 4000 signatures thus far, urgently calling for the government to urgently upgrade the hospital.
‘‘Mark Jones and I have been taking up the fight directly to the government; unlike Anna Watson, who has been collecting petitions, but hasn’t tabled a single one of them in parliament,’’ he said.
‘‘We have every intention of taking up the fight for Shellharbour Hospital, because we know we live in a growing community, and we need to provide the services that are required.
‘‘When I ran last time, I said that we would do the planning work for an upgrade at Shellharbour Hospital, $10 million.
‘‘That’s been done; now it’s time for the government to fund this hospital... This is a priority we want resolved at this election.’’
Labor Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson said she was pleased ‘‘yet another’’ petition has been given to the Minister calling on the state government to fund the hospital upgrade, but said it should be seen for what it is - an election stunt.
“This latest petition from the Liberals just builds on my campaign over the last four years.
“I didn’t think we needed another petition for the Minister to be aware of the need for the upgrade of Shellharbour Hospital.
“The Minister knows my views and those of the local community about the need to upgrade Shellharbour Hospital – we didn’t need a petition.’’
Ms Watson said she had offered to work with Mr Ward on the matter.
“I have even written to the Minister calling for her to meet with Mr Ward and me to discuss a funding road map for the upgrade of Shellharbour Hospital.
“I’m still waiting for the Minister to stick a stamp on a response.
“My bottom line is: I’ll be fighting for the upgrade of Shellharbour Hospital over the next term of the State Parliament regardless of which party wins the State election on March 28.’’