Cairns University Hospital: JCU brokers land deal

The Cairns Post’s Operation 2025 campaign for a university hospital has jumped a major hurdle with an agreement to buy land being signed off on in a surprise development.

THE Cairns Post’s Operation 2025 campaign for a university hospital has jumped a major hurdle with an agreement to buy land being signed off on in a surprise development.

The deal, exclusively revealed to the Cairns Post, has been sensationally brokered by James Cook University and land owners, and it is understood soil could be turned as early as the second half of this year.

The land purchase was a vital piece of the university hospital and health innovation precinct puzzle and was a hot state election issue with the Morrison government having already locked and loaded $60m in the 2019-20 federal budget.

The purchase of the land has been achieved through that federal funding, which included $10m for the dirt and $50m towards stage one.

The state government had pledged $15m for land acquisition and had been looking to buy four separate parcels beside the Cairns Hospital, the chief of which was the outdoor carpark owned by Cock & Bull publican Graham Johnston. But JCU has swooped in and finalised a deal.

The land for a university hospital at the corner on Charles and Sheridan Streets has been secured. Picture: Stewart McLean

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Financial aspects of the land purchase are subject to confidentiality agreements but it is believed the Cock & Bull pub is not part of the sale.

The parcels of land are bordered by Sheridan, Grove, Charles and Digger streets.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said it was a major step in ensuring the university hospital became a reality.

Mr Entsch said now the land was secured it was up to the Queensland government to get cracking and ensure the hospital was built and operational by 2025.

“The ball is absolutely in their court now. There are no more excuses as to why this much-needed project can’t go ahead,” Mr Entsch said.

“I want to thank James Cook University for taking the initiative to ensure the required parcels of land have been secured to ensure this project isn’t stalled any longer.”

Stage one will be the establishment of JCU’s Education and Research Centre (CTEC), a critical component of the precinct, and will also result in much-needed hospital beds.

“The new facility will allow for the relocation of research and education staff who are currently being housed within the Cairns Hospital to free up space to be repurposed for clinical use,” Mr Entsch said.

“The new building will include research laboratories, education and teaching spaces, an auditorium and office spaces for research, education and executive staff.”

James Cook University vice-chancellor Professor Sandra Harding said she was delighted agreements between interested parties had been reached.

“The health and innovation precinct is intended to showcase the region’s expertise, as well as ensure that we attract and retain great specialists and clinicians from around the world,” Prof Harding said.

JCU vice chancellor Sandra Harding, Advance Cairns executive chairman Nick Trompf, JCU Cairns Campus Director David Craig and Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch announce the land for a university hospital has been secured. Picture: Stewart McLean

“Our plan is to realise the benefits of co-locating our students, teachers, clinicians and researchers and by doing so establish a leading destination for those who will create the health and health service innovations of the future.

“One important goal, dependent on federal government approval of extra places, is to further extend our Clinical School into Cairns and this will enable students to complete their entire medical degree here in the Far North.”

Advance Cairns executive chairman Nick Trompf said the land acquisition announcement was the most significant step so far towards realising the Cairns University Hospital ambition.

“For a number of years Advance Cairns has been advocating to establish the Cairns University Hospital because it not only provides considerable economic benefits but has tremendous social implications as well,” he said.

As well as the $15m for the land, the state government had committed $1.5m for a preliminary business case but needs to stump up a further $100m to complete the tertiary hospital vision.

Last month Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said negotiations to buy the land were “ongoing” and that she believed early works had started on the business case.

Originally published as Cairns University Hospital: JCU brokers land deal