Repat hospital developers ACH Group to work with whoever wins government

THE famous Repat hospital sign is blank, and some medical services are gone — so what’s happening with the beloved SA medical precinct? And what will the election change?

The former sign at the Repatriation General Hospital

• Repat masterplan remains under wraps
• ACH’s plans for $200m Repat development still on hold
• Truth about the Repat Hospital’s World War II air-raid shelters

IT’S a site that stirs deep emotions and powerful memories for generations of South Australians — the Repatriation General Hospital at Daw Park was more than a health service, it was a community.

Veterans who were gold-card holders would drive past private hospitals where they could be treated for free to go to the Repat — it was “their” hospital. Their mates were in the wards, even if they were strangers.

It mended broken bodies, tended broken hearts and soothed sore psyches.

Premier Mike Rann knew the emotional attachment the public had to the Repat, and the votes that attachment could deliver — in 2010 he stood in front of the hospital’s famous clock tower and declared: “The Repat will never, ever be closed by a Labor Government.”

Labor closed it last year, as part of the Transforming Health program.

The Repat hospital has been sold to ACH Group.

The Repat Chapel, Hall and Remembrance Garden remain, as do Orthotics and Prosthetics SA, but the famous sign is now blank and medical facilities including palliative care are gone, despite mass community protests and a 85,000 signature petition.

The big question is, what happens next?

Labor wants it developed into a “health precinct”, and the ACH Group purchased it for an undisclosed sum with a seven-year, $200 million vision to develop it into a “vibrant village”, with various levels of aged care accommodation, student, veterans and affordable housing, healthcare centres, education and research hubs, offices and retail outlets, including cafes.

ACH Group chief executive Ray Creen told a parliamentary hearing the proposal hinged on rezoning plans being approved so ACH could onsell land to other “operators or developers”.

But exactly what is in its masterplan remains a mystery.

In October, Health Minister Peter Malinauskas pledged in Parliament to release the masterplan to the public.

“It is the government’s expectation that we receive a masterplan from the ACH Group in due course, which we will then put out publicly,” he said, before receiving the plan and seeing what it contained.

He went on to say: “We (the SA Government) want to release the masterplan to the public because our interest is about making sure that the revitalisation with that site is consistent with their interests.”

He received the masterplan in November, but what it contains — and why Labor did not approve it prior to the election — remains unknown.

With the government now in caretaker mode, it will not be released publicly until after the election. So voters, including those in the highly marginal seat of Fisher where the Repat sits, go to the polls not knowing precise details of what will happen to the area.

Both the government and the ACH Group remain adamant it will be a health precinct and a positive addition to the community, but exactly what else might be in the plan remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Liberals say if they win power they plan to reopen five operating theatres for colonoscopies, urology and orthopaedics, casting doubt over the overall plan and question marks over contracts.

The entry to the Repat clinic in Daw Park. Picture: Tom Huntley

SA Best says it also wants to look at returning orthopaedics, as well as Ward 17 mental health services, to the Repat.

The ACH Group are serenely calm — publicly at least — about the situation, despite the huge project being in election limbo.

They say they will negotiate with whoever wins government to proceed with plans for the precinct.

They have already had one win — on December 21, Planning Minister John Rau approved a development plan amendment for the precinct and surrounding areas.

However, this has to be approved by Parliament’s Environment, Resources and Development Committee, which will not meet until after the election.

ACH Group spokeswoman Jani Baker said it intends to continue negotiations with whoever wins government.

“The renewal of the Repat site is a complex undertaking and has required careful consideration,” she said.

“It remains our intention to work with various partners to develop and renew the site in line with our vision of creating a world-class mixed use health and wellbeing precinct.

“Following extensive community engagement, a comprehensive masterplan ... was submitted to government late last year. The masterplan continues to be negotiated, and ACH Group looks forward to continuing the negotiation after the election is held on March 17.”

March 17 — sometime after then is when the public will see the masterplan.

The different parties’ plans

LABOR: Closed the Repat last year as part of Transforming Health. Kept the chapel, hall and remembrance garden, plus Orthotics and Prosthetics SA. Sold site to ACH group for $200m for development of aged care, various housing types and other uses. A masterplan will not be released before the election.

LIBERAL: Would reopen five operating theatres for colonoscopies, urology and orthopaedics, throwing the masterplan into doubt.

SA BEST: Would consult clinicians about restoring orthopaedics and mental health services.

Business as usual for hospital developer

THE not-for-profit ACH Group which hopes to redevelop the Repatriation General Hospital site says it intends to continue negotiations on the plan with whoever wins government.

It has a $200 million, seven-year plan to turn the site into a futuristic village with various levels of aged care accommodation, healthcare facilities, student, veterans and low-cost housing, education facilities, offices and retail outlets, including cafes.

However, the masterplan presented to the State Government in November was not approved prior to the government going into caretaker mode in the lead-up to the election, raising questions about the future of the proposal if the Liberals win office.

They plan to reopen five operating theatres for elective surgery, while SA Best wants healthcare facilities on the site.

The masterplan has not been released publicly — as promised by the government — raising further questions about whether there are aspects that might alienate voters in the highly marginal seat of Fisher, where the Repat sits.

ACH Group spokeswoman Jani Baker indicated the group will work with whoever wins government.

“The masterplan continues to be negotiated, and ACH Group looks forward to continuing the negotiation after the election is held on March 17,” she said

“The renewal of the Repat site is a complex undertaking and has required careful consideration.

ACH Group said it wants to undertake the renewal in a way that best meets the current and future needs of workers, students, veterans, visitors and local residents.

“It remains our intention to work with various specialist partners to develop and renew the site in line with our vision of creating a world-class mixed use health and wellbeing precinct,” it said.

“Following extensive community engagement, a comprehensive masterplan for the site was developed in accordance with the masterplan principles, and was submitted to government late last year.”