Sarah Oliver
The state opposition has pledged to start constructing Melton Hospital within 12 months of the November state election if it wins government.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy made the announcement in Cobblebank on January 20.
Mr Guy said a hospital for Melton was part of the opposition’s plan to fix Victoria’s health crisis, which also includes a new Infectious Diseases Response Centre.
“Communities across Melbourne’s west [have] been left behind by this state government – our plan will deliver real solutions to everyday problems that have been ignored for too long,” Mr Guy said.
“Accessing basic healthcare should never be a struggle. We will fix Victoria’s health crisis so families can recover, rebuild and move forward in confidence.”
However, Melton MP Steve McGhie defended the government’s progress on delivering the hospital saying “Work to deliver a new 24 hour Melton Hospital is already underway – with more than $75 million invested by the Andrews Labor Government to secure land and start planning and early works”.
“Our community has been campaigning for a hospital in our area for decades – and in the three years since I was given the honour of becoming the Member for Melton, I’ve secured more than $77 million to deliver a business case, purchase land on Ferris Road, and progress early works for a 24- hour Melton Hospital,” he said.
However, despite the work already undertaken, the project is not fully funded.
Melton council has been advocating for construction to start this year, with a completion date in 2026.
Melton mayor Goran Kesic welcomed the opposition announcement.
“We are thrilled that the Victorian opposition has committed to build the Melton Hospital,” Cr Kesic said.
“We’ve been working closely with the current Victorian government on planning for this hospital and we’re hopeful that the hospital will be operational by 2026.
“On behalf of council, I would like to thank the opposition leader for recognising the importance of committing to build a Melton Hospital to meet the health needs of our community.”
