The absence of any funding in this year’s state budget has raised alarm bells that the Barossa will not have a new hospital built for the foreseeable future.
The Marshall Liberal Government Budget handed down last week in State Parliament re-announced a $15 million upgrade of the Gawler Health Service Emergency Department but does not allocate any funds to a new Barossa Hospital. Member for Light and Candidate for Schubert, Mr Tony Piccolo said the lack of any funding in the 2020/21 budgets and three following budgets means that a decision to commence any detailed planning for the new hospital will not occur until 2024 at the earliest, if at all.
“Despite the flurry of media announcements recently by the Marshall Liberal Government, it is clear they are treating the new hospital as a political rather than a health exercise,” said Mr Piccolo.
“The lack of funding in this budget, and up to and including the 2023/24 budget forecasts, puts into doubt the true commitment of any announcement by the State Liberal Government.” The Liberal Government has acknowledged that the Business Case for a new hospital some months ago is complete but has refused to release it. The Health Minister recently announced that a decision was “imminent” and they were now looking for a site for the new hospital.
Mr Piccolo said that it appears the Marshall Liberal Government want to announce a new hospital as some sort of “fait accompli”, preventing any genuine community consultation or participation.“If the Marshall Liberal Government were serious about building a new hospital, they would release the business case immediately, encourage some community consultation and make some provision in the budget for some detailed planning, but none of this has occurred,” said Mr Piccolo.“It is no wonder that people in the Barossa once again feel betrayed.”
“The Marshall Liberal Government want to give the impression that they will honour the promise they made prior to the last state election.”
“They have been embarrassed into progressing the matter as a result of the proposed changes to the electoral boundaries.”