Peter Hendy (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday, 16 February, together with the New South Wales Treasurer and member for Bega, Andrew Constance, I opened the new $11.8 million Eurobodalla subacute rehabilitation unit at the Moruya District Hospital. To mark this important achievement under the government's COAG subacute beds program, we were joined by Jenny Symons, chair of the Southern New South Wales Local Health District board; Dr Max Alexander, its Chief Executive; Dr Belinda Doherty, Director of Medical Services, South Coast; Lisa Kennedy, General Manager, Eurobodalla Health Service; Kath Smith, President of the Moruya District Hospital Auxiliary; Councillor Rob Pollock, Deputy Mayor of Eurobodalla Shire Council and chair of Moruya Cancer Carers. I make special mention of Aunty Doris Moore, who not only made us welcome to country but also told us her family story of trips to Sydney to visit ill members and how this new facility promises to bring care much closer to home on the south coast. The 20-bed unit increases the number of bets at Moruya Hospital by 50 per cent and fills the gap between the hospital's acute care and home based rehabilitation care.

I also note the presence on the day of Brad Rossiter, chair of the Eurobodalla Community Health Service representative committee, and Russell Schneider, Eurobodalla Community Health Service committee member, both of whom are ardent advocates for health services in the region and reliable sources of advice for me. The new unit is further evidence of the government's ongoing commitment to public hospitals and there is more to come.