Federal election 2019: Labor pledges $50m down payment for new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide

Labor leader Bill Shorten has promised a $50 million down payment to build a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.

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Labor leader Bill Shorten has promised a $50 million down payment to build a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Adelaide.

As the Opposition Leader kept health at the centre of Labor’s election campaign, he told The Advertiser on Tuesday a government he led would kickstart construction of a new WCH, next to the Royal Adelaide Hospital on North Tce.

“It is just what South Australia needs,” he said.

“It is a down payment. We will have to work with the State Government. But we have a vision for health care and we think South Australia deserves a fair share of the national investment in health.”

SHELLING OUT PROMISES: Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Labor candidate for Boothby Nadia Clancy down Coffin Bay oysters from Manuel’s seafood at Westfield Marion on Tuesday. Picture Kym Smith

Mr Shorten’s promise came after he earlier announced a Labor government would match a $30 million Coalition pledge to revive the Repat Hospital. Flanked by Opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King and Boothby candidate Nadia Clancy in Adelaide, Mr Shorten also pledged a $2.5 million clinical simulation lab for Flinders University’s Medical Centre.

“Simulation labs allow our doctors in training, our nurses in training, our other clinicians in training to actually have almost live experiences of significant crisis that can occur in our hospital system,” Ms King said. “And it means that the quality of care that they provide while they’re doing that training constantly will be significantly improved.”

The pair fielded questions about a new $200 million pledge for pathology services amid criticism from the Coalition Labor was attempting to mount a “ Mediscare version 2.0”.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said pathology bulk billing rates for out-of-hospital services had increased from 97.7 per cent under the Coalition to 99.3 per cent last financial year and continued to grow.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten meets shoppers at Westfield Marion on Tuesday. Picture Kym Smith

“This is perhaps his silliest scare campaign yet,” Mr Hunt said. “He’s pretending an increase to over 99 per cent is a crisis, when in fact it is an extraordinary outcome.”

Mr Shorten and Ms King did not deny Mr Hunt’s figures but pointed to Australian Institute of Health and Wellbeing figures showing each year 140,000 Australians were not taking their pathology tests, because they could not afford to.

Federal Labor’s pledge for the WCH will put pressure on the State Government to include funding in its June State Budget. In December, The Advertiser revealed a new WCH would be built at the western end of the biomedical precinct, complete with an air bridge for direct access to the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Premier Steven Marshall was elected with a pledge to deliver the project, rivalling the new RAH, which was originally costed at $1.7 billion but blew out to $2.44 billion.

Labor Leader Bill Shorten and Labor’s candidate for Boothby Nadia Clancy at Westfield Marion on Tuesday. Picture Kym Smith

Mr Marshall set a target date of 2024 and established a task force to drive the project soon after winning office.

State Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas said the project, previously backed when Labor was in government, continued to have his support. “Both sides of politics understand the need to get this built and get moving on the project,” he said.

“This is great news from federal Labor that is willing to commit real money to a state project that is necessary for our health system.” Mr Shorten will today continue his health sell, announcing Labor will invest $20 million to give blood cancer patients access to clinical trial drugs and therapies for blood cancer, also referred to collectively as haematological cancers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison spent the day touring Liberal-held Victorian seats. At Torquay Bowls Club, he continued his attack on Mr Shorten, saying: “Bill Shorten lies. He lies. He lies all the time.” Earlier Mr Morrison addressed a town hall mostly full of Liberal voters, promising no new or increased taxes on superannuation.