Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In January 2008 Warley Hospital on Phillip Island closed. Warley Hospital had been pledged $2½ million by the coalition government to remain open to allow it to continue the work of over 80 years of commitment to the people of Phillip Island. It was a great shame and an unacceptable situation that the incoming government refused to match that grant and support the people of Warley Hospital.

The money received from the sale of the hospital has allowed a fund of $1.4 million to be established. I call upon Minister Nicola Roxon to match that money to allow the reopening of the hospital as a subsidiary of the Bass Coast health network. This was a community based hospital which had served the people of Phillip Island for decades and decades. It is a tragedy that the hospital, which would have remained open under a coalition government, was allowed to close. Phillip Island has a significant permanent population. It attracts up to two million visitors each year, I am told. This hospital must have matching funding from the federal government. (Time expired)