Today was a red-letter day for the people of Manning Great Lakes in their struggle for a fair and equitable health funding distribution across NSW. Tanya Thompson, Member for Myall Lakes was handed a petition for increased funding for Manning Base Hospital, from the Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group on the steps of NSW Parliament House in Sydney.
The petition, reaching 12,000 signatures, calls upon the state government for increased funding to have stages two and three of the hospital’s redevelopment to be completed in their entirety, within the life of this current Parliament.
In response to receiving the petition signatures, Mrs Thompson said, “Our Action Group advocates so hard for health in our community, and I am proud to accept this petition on their behalf.”
Mrs Thompson continued, “We must ensure that the Manning Base Hospital redevelopments are finished without further delay. It is so important that the hospital is equipped to serve our constituents effectively.”
Highlighting the funding challenges, Mrs Thompson said that while the Coalition Government had initially allocated $100 million for stage 2 of the Manning Base Hospital Redevelopment in 2020, delays in the project starting has led to escalated construction costs.
“The original redevelopment plans can no longer be completed within the confines of the original funding.”
Expressing her full support for the Action Groups petition, Mrs Thompson said, “I have already requested more funding from the new Government in this year’s budget for Stage 2 and Stage 3 redevelopments.”
Twenty-two individuals attended the handover, among them were 5 representatives from the Action Group and 15 local supporters who travelled from Taree to Sydney, receiving support from local business, Eggins Comfort Coaches Taree. Mr. Richard Eggins provided a bus and driver to transport the Action Group representatives.
Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group stressed the urgency of their plea, highlighting the strain on healthcare professionals and the community due to chronic under-resourcing of the hospital.
“It is absolutely vital that this hospital, built in 1954, is brought up to the standard of a modern, efficient disburser of public health for the 100 000 people dependent upon its services.
“These signatures represent 13% of the total population and 18% of the voting population of this area.”
When collating these signatures, the Action Group said the message received was loud and clear. “The community is angry and bitterly disappointed about the poor standard of health care that is able to be delivered in our area because it is so chronically physically and financially under-resourced.
“Our wonderful doctors, nurses, allied staff and paramedics are being placed under enormous, unbelievable, and unnecessary stress because of this fact. They are over-worked, exhausted, and disheartened.
“Manning Base Hospital and this area remain in a crisis situation. Action is demanded and urgently required to rectify the lack of funding, building infrastructure, beds, theatres, staff and specialists,’ said the Action Group.
Mrs Thompson will formally table the petition by presenting it to the Clerk, after which the Speaker will announce receipt. A date will be scheduled for debating the petition in the Legislative Assembly, during which Mrs Thompson will participate, ensuring the voices of the Action Group and the Myall Lakes are heard.
