$500m Geelong women’s and children’s hospital, $60m carpark promised by Coalition

A $500m hospital would be complete in 2028 and an 800-space public car park would be built near it. The carpark’s cost is equivalent to $75,000 per space.

Matthew Guy, right, with L to R: Liberal candidate for Geelong James Bennett-Hullin, Liberal for western Victoria Joe McCracken, Liberal for Bellarine Donnie Grigau, Shadow health minister Georgie Crozier and Liberal for South Barwon Andrew Katos.

The Geelong women’s and children’s hospital would be delivered a year earlier and a $60m 800-space public carpark would be built near it, under a Matthew Guy-led Coalition government.

The pledges – announced by Mr Guy in Geelong on Thursday – would be paid for by redirecting funds earmarked for the Suburban Rail Loop in Melbourne.

The Opposition vowed to complete the hospital in 2028, one year before the Andrews’ government’s plan for the $500m project.

“We’re going to reprioritise (the Suburban Rail Loop money). Nothing is more important than Victorian’s health,” Mr Guy said.

Matthew Guy at Geelong on Thursday.

“Railway lines are nice to have – they’re not a must-have.

“I’m in absolutely determined to make sure that my government puts in place the resources, the health infrastructure, to suit a city the size of Greater Geelong.”

Mr Guy said the Coalition would consult Barwon Health and other parties on the best location for the carpark, which would offer subsidised rates to healthcare workers and be built under a joint venture if needed.

“If it’s a council site, and we have to do it as a joint venture, I have no doubt the $60m improving this facility from 175 (spaces) to 800 (would be well received); I can’t see anyone complaining.”

Shadow health minister Georgie Crozier said Victoria’s health system was in crisis and the

Coalition would fix it.

“Daniel Andrews has run our health system as premier or minister for 12 of the past 16 years, and he isn’t the one to fix the mess he has caused,” Ms Crozier said.

Ms Crozier said ambulance ramping was common at Geelong hospital.

The Geelong women’s and children’s hospital was promised by the Andrews’ government days before the 2018 election via a $100m commitment.

Labor has increased the scope of the project, and upped its commitment to $450m, to include a multistorey building for the women’s and children’s hospital. $50m was promised for the project by the former federal government.

The Victorian Coalition has also committed to a feasibility study for a second hospital to service the City of Greater Geelong’s growth suburbs.

It comes after the Coalition made a promise leading up to the 2010 election to build a stand-alone community hospital at Waurn Ponds, which was not delivered.

The Coalition has committed to 25 per cent of all new capital spending being in regional Victoria under its leadership.

Health minister Mary-Anne Thomas said: “(The Coalition) committed to building a public hospital in Geelong but broke their promise, instead sending public patients to private hospitals after striking an agreement to line the pockets of private providers.”

The state government is yet to allocate yearly funding allotments to the women’s and children’s hospital, which it said was because planning work for the project was ongoing.

Mr Guy said if elected at the November state election, the Opposition would allocate money to the hospital in its first budget.

Early demolition work for an upgrade at Geelong hospital began this month.

Originally published as $500m Geelong women’s and children’s hospital, $60m carpark promised by Coalition