Council has received a request from Wodonga Council to jointly advocate for a purpose-built hospital on a greenfield site (Refer Attachment 1).
In October 2022 the Premiers of NSW and Victoria announced a total funding package of $558M to redevelop the Albury Hospital Campus of Albury Wodonga Health to create a world class hospital for Albury Wodonga (refer Attachment 2).
Council acknowledged the announcement as an item of Urgent General Business at its meeting of 31 October 2022 (Refer Attachment 3).
As highlighted in AlburyCity’s adopted Advocacy Strategy 2022 -2025, our focus has been “to call on Government to determine the most effective infrastructure and systems required and to commit to delivering improved health services for the Albury Wodonga region”. It is the responsibility of the NSW and Victorian Government to provide health services that meet the needs of our growing regional community, and we expect that they have knowledge, skills and capabilities to deliver on these responsibilities.
In making the announcement about the planned investment in the region’s health infrastructure for completion by 2027, the Government made its determination regarding site selection. We acknowledge and support all advocacy efforts for further detail in relation to the redevelopment to be provided. Since October we have actively encouraged the NSW Government to expedite the release of the masterplan to enable our community to understand what is proposed and how the redevelopment will meet immediate and longer-term community needs. We have also advocated for more community engagement through the next phases of planning for the redevelopment.
At a recent meeting of Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation (RAMJO), which is represented by 11 regional councils in the Riverina Murray Region, the Mayors reiterated their strong support for the joint funding announcement that was made in October and expressed the urgency in building the single site hospital on the Albury campus as announced.
We are extremely proud of and committed to our Two Cities One Community Partnership with Wodonga Council. The recently adopted Two Cities One Community Strategic Plan 2022-2025 highlights the depth and breadth of our collaboration across four key pillars of our economy, the environment, our community and partnering in leadership. This includes our commitment to ‘advocate for health services that fully meet community needs’.
We acknowledge our successful joint advocacy to date and respect Wodonga Council’s further advocacy agenda however there is insufficient evidence to justify advocacy for a greenfield site given specific details of the proposed Albury Hospital Campus redevelopment are yet to be released.
Resolution:
That Council;
a) continue to call on the Victorian, NSW and Australian Governments to determine the most effective infrastructure and systems required and to commit to delivering improved health services for the growing Albury Wodonga region,
b) continue to reiterate strong support for the significant joint funding investment by the NSW and Victorian Governments in the Albury Wodonga Health – Albury Hospital Campus redevelopment scheduled for completion in 2027,
c) continue to advocate for the release of the Albury Wodonga Health masterplan that has guided the NSW and Victorian Government health infrastructure investment decisions and identified further stages,
d) continue to seek assurance from the NSW and Victorian Governments, and Albury Wodonga Health, that they will engage with Councils, key stakeholders and the Albury Wodonga regional community in the next phase of planning for the Albury Wodonga Health - Albury Hospital Campus redevelopment.
e) continue to seek assurance from the NSW and Victorian Governments, and Albury Wodonga Health that the Albury Wodonga Health - Albury Hospital Campus redevelopment will meet the current and future needs of the community as set out in the Albury Wodonga Health Clinical Services Plan, and
f) notify Wodonga Council and other stakeholders of the outcome of Council’s considerations in relation to the matter.
Kylie King
AlburyCity Mayor