By MATT NICHOLLS
IMMEDIATE hopes for a new Armidale Hospital redevelopment have been scuppered by NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner.
In Armidale to officially open the hospital’s new ambulatory care building, Ms Skinner made no new commitment to the proposed $60 million redevelopment.
“What I can announce is that we have allocated $400,000 to update those plans,” she said.
“That will ensure the redevelopment is ready to go if funding does become available.”
Ms Skinner said the State Government still had $10 million on the table for the project, but it was on the proviso the Federal Government came up with the rest of the funding.
When reminded by the Armidale Independent that federal Health Minister Peter Dutton had all but ruled a line through any funding for the hospital in the short-term, Ms Skinner said she would continue to push for support.
“I believe this is an important project and we need the support of the Federal Government,” she said.
Ms Skinner deflected questions asking why she removed Armidale Hospital from the second round of the $1.8 Health and Hospital Fund under the previous Federal Government.
Armidale Hospital applied for funding in the first round, but was unsuccessful, along with dozens of other hospitals around the country.
However, the hospital had its submission removed from the second round at the direction of Ms Skinner.
The decision prompted former New England MP Tony Windsor to label it as “the most disgraceful thing in the electorate”.
“What she did in my view was something that should have been investigated quite thoroughly,” he said.
