Tweed Valley Hospital furore continues as ‘yes’ camp organiser security for their meeting

ORGANISERS of a community meeting for a controversial plan to build a new hospital have been forced to beef-up their security as tempers flare over its proposed future site.

Proposed sites of the new Tweed Hospital

SECURITY guards will be at the next Tweed Valley Hospital information night as tempers flare up south of the border.

The community is fractured, some want the proposed $534 million Tweed Valley Hospital to be built on the New South Wales’ chosen site, a potato farm at Cugden.

Others want it relocated to protect the agricultural land.

New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard extended the expression of interest period by six weeks following Thursday’s community meeting, as the furore was increased.

Tweed Valley residents at the community meeting at Cudgen Leagues Club on Thursday.

After attending that meeting, organised by ‘no’ campaigner Hayley Paddon, Penny Hockings started orchestrating another information night.

She said the tense atmosphere within the Cudgen Leagues Club made it hard for Health Infrastructure consultant Peter Lawless from explaining why the proposed side was the best choice.

TWEED SHIRE COUNCIL VOTE DOWN PLANS FOR $534 MILLION HOSPITAL

Ms Hockings said Mr Lawless, who oversaw the $1 billion Westmead Hospital Upgrade and the $2 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital build, was an expert that both camps should listen to.

Ms Hockings is a ‘yes’ campaigner and said the experts should be heard properly without emotion blinding those at the meeting.

State member for Tweed Geoff Provest spoke at the meeting.

“It is a big project, there are valid concerns and people want to be able to find the answers to them,” the Pottsville resident said.

“There is a lot of nasty stuff going on at the moment, with graffiti on roads, people putting up signs.

“I got a nasty text message from someone I don’t know last night.”

Ms Hockings said engineers, department of health infrastructure and other experts to feel confident at the meeting which was why there would be security present.

The meeting will be held in mid-May at the Tweed Heads Civic Centre.