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Health shapes as key election issue

Posted on December 1, 2008, 12:12pm

Health will be a key battleground in the 2010 State Election, according to Opposition leader Martin Hamilton-Smith.

He told a Liberal Party function at the Commodore Motel on Friday night that health was always a key issue in regional communities, but even more so now as a result of the Government’s “ill-conceived” Country Health Plan.

“Make no mistake, the drastic cuts to country health were all about sucking money into the city to pay for the ‘Marj’,” he said.

“Plans to build the Marjorie Jackson Nelson Hospital at Adelaide’s City West will be an election issue now the government has admitted the project contract will not be signed before the election.”

Mr Hamilton-Smith said people would have their say at the ballot box on whether they wanted “a project that’s already blown out beyond $2b or the more financially and medically sensible option of rebuilding the Royal Adelaide Hospital”.

He said the Liberal Party would also push for a substantial funding increase for Mount Gambier’s hospital as it would face a drastic increase in work, including surgical procedures and outpatients.

“Under changes to SA Country Health, country hospitals will be closed and developed as aged care facilities while placing a focus on enhancing four regional hospitals, including yours here in Mount Gambier,” he said.

Mr Hamilton-Smith said public protests across the state, including a meeting in Bordertown that attracted 1500 people, had forced the government into an embarrassing backdown on the changes, which could have been avoided if consultation was undertaken before the release of the plan.

“People living 500km from Adelaide do not want a bureaucrat in Hindmarsh Square or Minister Hill who is from New South Wales telling them what services they want and what their hospital’s budget should be spent on,” he said.

He said the Liberal Party was also introducing legislation to give health advisory committees greater control to retain local influence over health services.

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