Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Health, 3 August 2023
Significant progress made on LGH redevelopment
The Rockliff Liberal Government is getting on with the job of delivering on our significant investment to upgrade the Launceston General Hospital, through our $580 million 10-year redevelopment plan.
Minister for Health Guy Barnett said: “As our Implementation Programme outlines, Stage 2 (2022-24) includes planning for the purpose-built mental health precinct and site preparation.
“Stage 3 (2024-27), will feature a series of major construction projects, including the new mental health services precinct, an expanded and redesigned acute care zone, a new medical inpatient unit for older persons and a new carpark.
“The detailed planning for the construction of a new inpatient and outpatient tower will also begin, ahead of construction in Stage 4 (2027-34).
“Funding in line with the Implementation Programme has been allocated in this year’s budget.
“This is real investment, unlike Labor’s pie in the sky thought-bubbles that they laughably claim will ‘pay for themselves’, which is clearly absurd.
“I am also engaging with the Federal Government about its role in supporting this important redevelopment.
“It says everything that Labor attacks the fact we have a long-term plan for the LGH.
“This Government is totally focused on delivering the modern healthcare facilities Tasmanians need.”
LGH Masterplan projects already delivered:
- Completion of Paediatric Ward redevelopment (June 2021)
- Opening of new 38 bed medical ward 3D (September 2021)
- Nine Negative Pressure Rooms in Acute Medical Unit (August 2022)
- Fit-out of the paediatric outpatient area on Level 3 of the LGH Women and Children’s tower (September 2022)
- Fit-out of the Women’s Health Clinic on Level 5 of the Women and Children’s Tower (October 2022); and
- Complete refurbishment of the 39 Frankland Street Administration and Education Precinct (September 2022).
- Improvements to the Emergency Department Ambulance Bay are also due for completion mid-September 2023
Media release – Anita Dow MP, Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing, 3 August 2023
We’re not waiting 8-10 years for Launceston General Hospital stage 2 Minister Barnett!
In a train wreck interview this morning Health Minister Guy Barnett told LAFM’s Richard Perno that he expected stage 2 of the LGH redevelopment to be “completed in 8-10 years”.
You’re not building the pyramids Minister, it’s a hospital redevelopment.
It’s clear that the Liberals have no intention of starting or finishing this redevelopment.
It was the Liberals’ signature election policy they took to the last election. It’s a $580 million project yet they have allocated only $8 million in this financial year and $83.7 million overall to the project in this year’s budget.
Yet they are all-in for a football stadium in Hobart that’ll cost the taxpayer over $1 billion.
Once again this shows the Liberals have their priorities completely wrong.
In his interview Mr Barnett also offered no solutions to ambulance ramping.
In contrast Labor has a policy to significantly increase services at our district hospitals and regional ambulance stations around the state that will take the pressure off our major hospitals and begin to address ambulance ramping and bed block.
After ten years it’s clear the Liberals have no plan to fix our crisis-ridden the health system. If they haven’t fixed it by now they never will.
