The preferred builders of the controversial $1.8 billion women’s and babies’ hospital in Murdoch have been revealed, but the Cook government will not sign the actual contract before the March election.
The location for the ageing King Edward Memorial Hospital’s replacement is shaping as a key election battle. The Liberals have already signalled their intention to tear up Labor’s Murdoch plans and build the facility in Nedlands next to Perth Children’s Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
WA Premier Roger Cook and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson have signed a letter of intent with a joint venture that plans to build Perth’s new women’s and babies’ hospital.Credit: Getty Images
A signed contract would have made that commitment a difficult move for Liberal leader Libby Mettam – but the Cook government was unable to reach that point before caretaker mode starts in February.
Instead, on Friday WA Premier Roger Cook and Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson signed a letter of intent with a joint venture between Italian global construction giant WeBuild and Sydney-based builder Roberts Co.
The letter locks the government into negotiations with the joint venture, which will be responsible for building the new women’s and babies’ hospital and upgrades to maternity services at Osborne Park Hospital.
Mettam confirmed she would rip up the letter if elected in 2025.
Sanderson said the letter marked the start of negotiations which would scope out final points in a contract, such as timeframe and costs.
She said it was up to the Liberals to determine what they would unpick if elected next year.
“The reality is the community supports this. The community supports this project,” she said.
“Getting on with this project is the best thing for women in Western Australia, and it’s the best thing for women and babies in Western Australia.”
Sanderson would not say when the contract would be ready to sign, but revealed early works on a car park for the Murdoch site had already begun.
The hospital has become a lightning rod for controversy within WA’s medical fraternity, with clinicians inside the state’s own health system raising concerns about the distance between the new hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, where sick babies would need to be taken for treatment.
On Friday, Sanderson said there were “probably a small handful of clinicians who continue to raise concerns”.
“I respect that the director general meets with them regularly, and we will continue to have those consultations from January around their concerns,” she said.
Cook said if the Liberals were to proceed with their plan to bring the hospital back to Nedlands it would see result in delays of five to 10 years and put more pressure on King Edward Memorial Hospital.
Mettam said the decision to proceed with the Women and Babies Hospital at Murdoch, rather
than Nedlands showed contempt for WA’s physicians who opposed the move, and
disregard for the risk of death and disability of babies.
“Unlike WA Labor, the WA Liberals will not ignore the advice of WA clinicians and will not
risk the lives of our most vulnerable newborns,” she said.
“That is exactly why we will rip up any contract signed by WA Labor and continue with the
Health Department’s own plans for a Women and Babies Hospital at the QEII site.
“Every other state in Australia has a tri-located hospital health precinct – WA Labor should
not be charging ahead with anything less than the gold standard every other state has seen
crucial enough to deliver for its people.
“Top doctors have publicly warned the WA Labor shifting the hospital from WA’s key health
hub will result in newborn babies dying in avoidable circumstances.”
Mettam said the government should seek a mandate at the 2025 election to build the hospital in Murdoch.
“Let the people decide in March next year whether the Government should listen to
clinicians, or if our doctors should be ignored, risking the lives of babies for no apparent
reason,” she said.
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