Andrew Constance slams Fiona Phillips over ‘unrealistic’ cancer clinic promised more than a year ago

An $8m election promise for a south coast cancer clinic has been labelled as a “political con job”, after new information revealed the obstacles which need to be overcome for the project to become a reality.

Former state minister, Andrew Constance, has slammed last year's radiotherapy announcement after a newly surfaced letter revealed the complexities it will take for it to actually happen.

A funding commitment made for a south coast cancer clinic has been slammed by a former MP as a “political con job”, after new information revealed the obstacles which need to be overcome for the promised facility to become a reality.

Gilmore federal Labor MP Fiona Phillips – on May 4 last year during the election campaign – announced $8m of federal funding towards a radiation therapy treatment centre at Moruya, which would be delivered by the state government.

After more than a year since the announcement and no public information revealed on the timeline, or whereabouts of the facility, some are beginning to ask questions.

A letter from NSW Health Minister Ryan Park unveiled the number of the factors which needed to be met to allow construction of the clinic.

“Factors that need to be assessed in forming any plans for such a centre include population size, the ability to recruit appropriately skilled and trained clinicians and accommodation needs for expanded workforce,” he said in the letter.

Former state member for Bega, Andrew Constance, has slammed a federal funding commitment for an ‘unrealistic’ south coast cancer clinic as a ‘political con job’.

The letter was in response to a constituent asking where the project was up to.

When asked about Mr Park’s letter, Mrs Phillips did not respond to concerns about delays to the project but said money had been allocated to the project and she was “vigorously” fighting to have the centre built to save cancer patients from travelling to Canberra or Nowra.

Federal member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, announcing federal funding of $8m for the radiotherapy in Moruya on May 4. Picture: Fiona Phillips website.

“I have done this because I firmly believe local people deserve quality health services close to home,” she said.

“I will continue to work with all levels of government on the delivery of the radiation therapy service at Moruya,” she said.

One of the people questioning the major promise is former Bega state MP and former Eurobadalla resident Andrew Constance, who slammed the ordeal as a “political con job”.

“This is absolutely appalling because it isn’t going to be built,” he said.

NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park’s letter, discussing whether the cancer radiotherapy clinic will actually be built in Moruya. Picture: Facebook.

Mr Constance, who ran for Gilmore in the 2022 federal election, said he did not make any funding commitments to built a radiotherapy clinic in Moruya as professionals in the medical field said the population could not facilitate the centre.

“I’m all for a clinic like this, don’t get me wrong, but the population of the Eurobodalla doesn’t work with the proposed facility,” he said.

“The population is too small to hire a full-time clinician to run the facility, it just won’t work.”

“We can’t commit to something and tell people and families going through such a hard thing like cancer, if we’re not 100 per cent sure it will come to fruition.”

Mr Constance said these issues were brought forward to former NSW Health Minister, Brad Hazzard, and as a result, he too did not commit to the construction of the clinic.

The Southern NSW Local Health District, who would foresee the construction of the proposed clinic, have been contacted for comment.