NT Budget 2024: $2.2bn for health promises new facilities for Palmerston, Borroloola

An aged-care facility in Palmerston, a health centre in Borroloola, and an extra $200m to improve healthcare in the Territory. Here’s what you need to know about this year’s NT health budget.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler and Health Minister Selena Uibo announce $2.2bn for health in the 2024 NT Budget at the Palmerston Regional Hospital. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The Northern Territory’s health budget will grow by $200m to $2.2bn this year, and include plans to build two new health facilities in Palmerston and Borroloola.

Preparation work for a 120 bed aged-care facility in Palmerston will begin, with $10m invested to service land in the Palmerston Regional Health Precinct for the new facility, and $2m going toward the design of the facility.

In Borroloola, a $20m health centre will improve primary care for the Roper Gulf region west of Katherine, with consulting rooms, emergency bays, dental facilities, X-ray facilities, a hearing booth, renal facilities and a morgue.

The government said the additional $200m this year, and $100 million next year, would provide more resources where they are needed most.

While no new facilities have been flagged for the Royal Darwin Hospital, Chief Minister Eva Lawler said the extra funds would help to reduce pressure on the health network.

Last week’s coronial into the “preventable” death of a woman at RDH highlighted the immense pressure the hospital is under, with chronic bed blocks, staff shortages, and frequent code yellows.

Chief Minister Eva Lawler and Health Minister Selena Uibo. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“In the Territory there’s a larger population of ageing people – baby boomers like me – and we need to be able to make sure that they have facilities so they’re not causing bed blocks (in hospitals),” Ms Lawler said.

“There’s about 55 aged care patients that are in our hospitals, sadly, which is probably not the best place for them.

“So by developing our aged care facility here at Palmerston, facilitating that development will be able to free up beds.

“It is difficult to get staff, that’s an ongoing issue, but our government will continue to put more money into health in the Territory.”

Health Minister Selena Uibo said she was exploring more options for “flexible work models” to improve staff wellbeing, and that the budget also contained funding to continue works underway for a 32-bed multipurpose ward at RDH, announced last year.

Brennan MLA Marie-Clare Boothby said the money going to health was not fixing its problems. Picture: Fia Walsh

Opposition MLA Marie-Clare Boothby said the government was “throwing money at the NT health system” without dealing with the “real issues” facing hospitals and clinics.

“The failed Acacia IT roll out, wait times for surgery blowing out, and assaults on healthcare workers are all evidence the healthcare system is in crisis due to Labor government failures,” Ms Boothby said.

“In eight years as Treasurer and Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler has failed to deliver a promised new health clinic for Gunbalanya, the promised new mental health facility, the promised morgue and 32 bed ward at RDH, as well as promised upgrades to Alice Springs, Katherine and Gove hospitals or the cyclone shelter at Borroloola.”

“Labor’s lack of action to address alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour not only creates unsafe environments for staff and patients at our hospitals but makes attracting skilled professionals challenging.”

She said the CLP would improve health by introducing mandatory sentencing for assaults on workers and reintroducing compulsory rehab, which they claim would “get people healthy and free up hospital beds”.