New Bankstown hospital blows out to $2B as construction costs rise
The new Bankstown Hospital in southwest Sydney will have an additional $700 million pumped into it in response to rising construction costs.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The new Bankstown Hospital in southwest Sydney will have an additional $700 million pumped into the facility in response to rising construction costs.
The new hospital, which has already cost $1.3 billion will blowout to $2 billion, with additional funds to be allocated in this month’s budget.
The Minns government said the initial $1.3 billion was always insufficient to complete the hospital, with high inflation and construction costs raising the price of the new health facility.
An additional $100 million will also go towards relocating the TAFE Bankstown campus, which had to be moved to enable construction of the new hospital.
The previous Coalition government had been considering building the hospital on an old rubbish tip contaminated with friable asbestos, lead and other hazardous waste.
The Minns government decided to build the Bankstown hospital at the TAFE site instead after five years of delays in deciding where it should be constructed.
This comes as the masterplan for the site is also released for the first time, with the hospital to include a large emergency department as well as services for maternity, mental health and intensive care.
Health Minister Ryan Park said the delay in choosing a location for the site meant more money needed to be spent.
“The money the Liberals set aside for the project has since been overrun by construction cost escalations,” he said.
“The release of the master plan gives the community a first glimpse of what this new hospital will look like and the essential services it will provide, and we’re inviting their feedback on it.”
Premier Chris Minns said: “The new Bankstown Hospital has been a long time coming and while there is still a long way to go, this extra funding is a big step in the right direction to getting shovels in the ground and the hospital up and running.”
Join the conversation
Surprising drawcard emerges as dark horse for Vivid Sydney
Sydneysiders and visitors from across the globe are being drawn by the lights but staying for one world-class scene, fuelling a major comeback for the event from last year.
Read more
$10 or $58? How Australia is losing the war on illegal tobacco
Butt of a bad joke: Two 20-packs of Marlboro cigarettes, one costs $58 while the other is sold for just $10 - this staggering 480 per cent price gap exposes the flaws in our tobacco excise system.
Read more