Liberals blast budget’s Geelong women’s and children’s hospital ‘ghost money’

An opening date for an eight-storey hospital in Geelong has been set, however the state Opposition claims “dodgy accounting tricks” are at play. Here’s why.

The state Opposition has accused the Andrews government of “dodgy accounting tricks” after millions of dollars for the Geelong women’s and children’s hospital were promised but not allocated in Tuesday’s state budget.

The government’s $350m promise for the hospital, on top of $100m pledged at the 2018 election, fell flat with the Coalition.

The government is working on a timeline to open an eight-storey women’s and children’s hospital in 2029, but has not allocated money for construction in 2021-22 or 2022-23.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy, in Geelong on Thursday, said if elected at the November state election, the Opposition would allocate money to the hospital in its first budget in May 2023.

State shadow health minister Georgia Crozier, Opposition leader Matthew Guy and Bellarine candidate Donny Grigau discuss a women's and children's hospital for Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

Asked how much it would allocate, Mr Guy said: “We’ll be making that announcement fairly shortly … we believe that Geelong deserves clarity. I’ll be giving that clarity as to exactly how much money we will put into our first budget.”

He criticised the government for promising the hospital in Geelong at the previous election but not delivering during its current term.

“This pledge of the Premier in this budget, a centrepiece of this year’s budget was made four years ago, like the Melton hospital that hasn’t been delivered, like the community hospitals, all 10 of them, none of them are open,” he said.

Under the first stage of the government promise, women’s and children’s facilities at Geelong hospital would be expanded, including more operating theatres and birth suites, a bigger outpatients area to support paediatric clinics, and a revamp of maternity assessment and short stay areas.

The hospital tower would fall under the second stage.

A government spokeswoman said early works would begin before the end of the year, construction of stage 1 would be completed in 2025 and stage 2 in 2029.

She said the government allocated $3.6m across 2020-21 and 2021-22 for detailed planning for the hospital.

At the 2018 election, the Opposition did not match Labor’s $100m pledge.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said “dodgy accounting tricks and ghost money won’t build hospitals”.

“In the middle of a health crisis, Daniel Andrews is ripping money out of health and kicking construction of new hospitals down the road,” she said. “Geelong communities need a real plan to get this expansion built.”

World-class women’s and children’s hospital earmarked for Geelong

More than $350 million will be pumped into healthcare in Geelong under an Andrews’ Government pledge that will build towards a women’s and children’s hospital.

Under the first stage of the $500m project, majority funded by state Labor, women’s and children’s facilities at Geelong hospital will be expanded to include more operating theatres and birth suites.

Under the first stage of Andrew’s Government’s promise, to be unveiled in today’s state budget, the outpatients treatment area at Geelong hospital will also be expanded to support public paediatric clinics, and the maternity assessment and short stay area will also undergo a revamp.

While under a second stage, a women’s and children’s hospital, in the form of an eight-storey tower, will be built.

The State Government said the second stage will deliver an expanded maternity inpatient unit, a special care nursery, a paediatric inpatient unit and women’s outpatient services.

The eight-storey tower will be built on the existing Geelong hospital site, the State Government said. A timeline for completion of both stages is yet to be released.

The State Government has spent recent months in discussion with Barwon Health to determine the services needed at the women’s and children’s hospital to meet rapid population growth and service the southwest region.

Health Minister Martin Foley said: “Expanding the scope of this project means that we can deliver a new hospital that keeps up with Geelong’s growing population.”

Premier Daniel Andrews said: “We’re delivering on our promise to bring a world-class women’s and children’s hospital to Geelong so local families can be confident they can get the best of care close to home.”

Geelong MP Christine Couzens said: “We said we would restore health services in Geelong and that’s exactly what we’re doing – this is a huge step forward for this vital project – and for the local jobs it will create.”

University Hospital Geelong (Geelong Hospital). Picture: Alan Barber

The State Government committed $100m for design and early construction of a women’s and children’s hospital in Geelong days before the 2018 election, and the Federal Government has also committed $50m to the project.

Asked for an update on the women’s and children’s hospital late last year, Mr Andrews told the Geelong Advertiser: “There’s never been a stronger case for more beds and more services.”

Before its closure in June 2018, Geelong Private Hospital on Ryrie St housed 107 beds, employed 293 people and provided surgical, cardiac and general medical care.

Following the closure, the State Government announced 117 new positions at Barwon Health in a bid to re-employ staff who had lost their jobs.

Barwon Health planned to use the site of the former Geelong Private Hospital during the Covid pandemic for surge capacity. In recent months the site has been used for surgical procedures.

Originally published as Liberals blast budget’s Geelong women’s and children’s hospital ‘ghost money’