More than 3000 people signed Mayor Jack Dempsey’s petition calling on the Queensland Government to build a new Level 5 hospital in Bundaberg.
The petition was tabled in State Parliament today.
Mayor Dempsey took to Facebook this afternoon to thank Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for her recent pledge to build a new hospital in Bundaberg.
He also thanked everyone who signed the petition.
“I’m delighted the Premier recently said her Government will build a new hospital in Bundaberg. I wrote to the Premier today, thanking her for that promise,” Mayor Dempsey said.
“It’s the first time any political party has made a public commitment to this important project.
“Medical staff and patients deserve the best-possible conditions in a modern-state-of-the-art hospital.
“By expanding medical services and attracting more specialists, fewer people will need to travel to Brisbane for treatment, saving considerable stress and expense.
“I have offered the Premier full support from Council towards developing a business case and identifying a future site.”
Today’s State Budget includes a comment in the Queensland Health report that Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service will “continue to progress planning for a new Bundaberg Hospital including identification of a suitable site”.
The report also reveals Wide Bay Health has an operating budget of $644.7 million for 2019-20, which is an increase of $29.8 million from the published 2018-19 operating budget of $614.9 million.
Mayor Dempsey noted that no dollar amount was mentioned in today’s State Budget for the detailed business case to select a new site.
- Mayor’s petition details
