The Tweed community has been reassured that the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government will get on with the job of building the brand new $582 million Tweed Valley Hospital, despite attempted political intervention from Labor and the Greens.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said NSW Health Infrastructure professionals have worked tirelessly in partnership with doctors, nurses and the community to deliver a hospital that will service the community for years to come, and the time for political games is over.
“The Tweed community needs a new hospital to open by 2023, which is why we are getting on with the job of building the new hospital so that residents have access to first-class health care close to their homes,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“You can imagine my surprise when the Labor party announced they would stop the current works on the new Tweed Valley Hospital in favour of a delayed timeline and budget blowouts.
“The Labor party aren’t making this decision because it will deliver better health outcomes, or because it will save lives, or even because they’ve received expert advice.
“Labor’s decision has been made based on political opportunism at the cost to the Tweed community’s health.”
NSW Health Infrastructure has a project completion date of 2022, with the new hospital to officially open in 2023. It is still unclear when Labor would complete a new hospital, their projected cost, or even whether their chosen site would have adequate roads, electricity or sewerage.
“Labor are giving the Tweed community political spin with no clear answers on when a new hospital would open under a Labor Government,” Ms Berejiklian added.
“The time for petty politics is over, this is about saving lives and delivering better health outcomes. If the Labor party cannot understand that then they are not fit to represent the Tweed and not fit to govern this state.”