Any redevelopment of Dubbo Base Hospital would be assessed by an independent authority before going ahead under a NSW Coalition Government, it was revealed yesterday.
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The Coalition has proposed that all significant infrastructure projects in NSW would be overseen and assessed by Infrastructure NSW.
Opposition spokesman on Roads Andrew Stoner signalled any upgrade of Bells Line of Road would also go before the statutory authority if the Coalition wins office next March.
“We’ve promised (the Bell’s Line upgrade) in the past. This time we’ve got a promise for an infrastructure body ... that would take infrastructure out of the hands of politicians,” he said.
Asked if this would also be the case for a redevelopment of Dubbo hospital a spokesperson for Mr Stoner replied: “yes, definitely”.
The Nationals candidate for Dubbo Troy Grant did not return the calls of the Daily Liberal yesterday however Opposition spokeswoman on health Jillian Skinner issued a press release.
“Consistent with the comments of NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell on 15 July, Dubbo hospital is a priority for a NSW Liberals and Nationals government,” she said.
“Dubbo hospital is a priority in our Restart NSW infrastructure fund.”
“Restart NSW is an infrastructure fund which will include hospital projects with 30 per cent of funding quarantined for regional infrastructure.”
Earlier in the year Ms Skinner committed to matching the Government’s $22.7 million stage-one plan to upgrade Dubbo Base Hospital if the Opposition won the election.
Visiting Dubbo for the Rebuilding the Regions workshop earlier this month Mr O’Farrell
said more detail on the Coalition’s commitment towards Dubbo hospital would be released down the track.
“We are committed, as part of our regional package, to ensuring the health services in areas like this are up to scratch,” he said.
“That does involve the need to commit to the redevelopment of Dubbo hospital. We’ve said it has priority.
“We’ll detail more of those policies as we get closer to the election.”
Restart NSW is the Opposition’s proposed $5 billion capital fund
to build infrastructure such as roads, public transport and hospitals. Thirty per cent of Restart NSW will be earmarked for regional areas.
Handing the budget down last month the Treasurer, Eric Roozendaal, included $232,000 for planning the redevelopment of Dubbo hospital in 2010/11. With a master plan in place, the Government said it would proceed with a $22.7 million stage one redevelopment, to be completed by 2014.
Following this, Ms Skinner said a “NSW Liberals and Nationals government will match any commitment made by the current government in respect to Dubbo hospital”.
