No more money for proton therapy beam despite project stalling

Adelaide’s stalled proton therapy beam project has been snubbed in the budget. See where money will be spent on health in SA.

Brad Crouch

@Bradcrouch

less than 2 min read

May 14, 2024 - 8:23PM

The proton therapy beam was due to be installed this year in the $500m Australian Bragg Centre in Adelaide. Picture: Matt Loxton

Adelaide’s beleaguered proton therapy beam plan has fizzled in the budget with no new money in the coming year or on the horizon.

Budget papers show after $5.3m invested in 2023-24, no money has been allocated in the coming four financial years.

It follows revelations in The Advertiser the project had stalled and Boston-based ProTom International is seeking more money and time on their $68m contract to deliver the beam.

The unit was due to be installed this year in the $500m Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research on North Terrace, and be operating to kill inoperable cancers by next year.

Australian Bragg Centre. Picture: Matt Loxton

RACGP president Dr Nicole Higgins.

A state parliamentary committee has heard the project is at least two years behind schedule.

The budget has $277m for 29 more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics to bring the total to 87 to ease pressure on hospital EDs, but no detail whether any will be built in SA to add to the five now here. Royal Australian College of GPs president Dr Nicole Higgins called it a “misguided investment.”

Budget papers detail $20m in the coming financial year for the previously-announced expansion of Flinders Medical Centre including 136 extra beds plus 24 at the Repat, part of a $200m federal investment over five years.

The regional radiotherapy treatment for cancer program in SA will receive $1.8m on top of $2.5m this financial year, SA gets $15m as part of $77m over four years for a Comprehensive Cancer Centre, while a SA-specific palliative care services navigation trial receives $3.2m as part of a total $6.3m.

Other SA specific money includes $1.6m of $3.8m to make Flinders Island a safe haven for native wildlife. There is also $500,000 of $3.2m over four years to trial “social impact investments which aim to assist vulnerable priority groups.”