Health Minister Michael Ferguson’s claims that he had rescued the Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment were a little premature.
Shadow Health Minister Rebecca White said the latest contract awarded for the site shows that the cost to deliver the project and the timeframe for completion are at serious risk.
“The contract awarded for the temporary facility on Liverpool Street is 20 per cent more expensive than the Minister stated it would be six months ago,” Ms White said.
“The project will also be delivered months later than expected with the installation date for the temporary facility now not due until the first quarter of next year, despite repeated assurances that it would be in place by December this year.”
In estimates in June this year the Minister for Health said:
“The temporary facility on the Liverpool St forecourt, which will be used to house our acute mental health inpatients onsite, is being built off-site and will be installed by the end of this year.”
However, now the Minister for Health is saying:
“Site enabling works will commence as soon as possible and the temporary facility will be installed in the first quarter of next year.”
“The temporary facility was initially expected to cost $18 million but the project will now cost tax payers $22 million,” Ms White said.
Rebecca White MP Shadow Health Minister
