In 2022, premier Daniel Andrews committed more than $600 million to a new hospital in West Gippsland. And while the West Gippsland Healthcare Group purchased land for the new hospital 17 years ago, construction has yet to begin.

Latrobe City Council Mayor Dale Herriman told the Gippsland Monitor the need for improved healthcare services was present every day. 

“Trying to get an appointment with a doctor anywhere in Gippsland is near impossible, you won’t get in today, you might get in in two weeks if you’re lucky,” he said. “That makes it really hard, particularly when you’ve got an aging population.”

With repeated requests for construction funding seemingly ignored, each candidate for the federal election is promising a new hospital in the region and improved healthcare. 

How do we know who can deliver?

Candidates make their promises

First-time Liberal candidate Mary Aldred spoke to the Gippsland Monitor this week, highlighting her long-time advocacy for the new hospital. 

“I’ve been a passionate supporter of – for the better part of 15 years now through my previous work at Committee for Gippsland – making sure we secure funding for a new West Gippsland hospital.”

MP Russell Broadbent won the federal seat of McMillan, which is now Monash, in 2007 as a Liberal candidate. He spent 28 years representing the people of West Gippsland but hasn’t been able to deliver on the new healthcare facility.

Broadbent is now running as an independent after being ousted by Aldred at the Liberal preselection for Monash in 2023.

Aldred says she has seen first hand what the lack of healthcare services has done to her community.

“Whether I’m in Phillip Island or West Gippsland or other areas, people raise it with me everyday,” she said. “We’ve got to hold the state government to the funding commitment that we had to drag them to the line to make sure we get the first sod turned.”

What happens if an Independent wins Monash?

Independent candidate Deb Leonard thinks her lack of party affiliation will help her push the major parties to commit to funding.

In the possibility of a hung parliament, Labor and the Coalition could vie for support of the independents to form government. In this scenario the balance of power could be placed into the hands of independents who could request funding for their electorate in exchange for their support.

Leonard spoke to the Gippsland Monitor about her concerns.

“We don’t have the same healthcare quality as in the city, we need to make sure the services that we need are available, that includes transport options to make sure they can afford to get to the city for specialist appointments,” she said. “I’ve met people in Warragul that have to take their loved ones via train to Melbourne to receive care. That is unacceptable.”

A new hospital could benefit all of Gippsland

For Mayor Herriman it’s been a frustrating wait to see the new hospital started.

“Baw Baw Shire has had the support of every other council in Gippsland to get the new hospital built. It’s something that all of Gippsland sees as a priority, if we get the new hospital built there it’ll take the strain off our hospitals,” he said.

“It’s been promised for ten years and nothing has happened there. It’s a 1950s/60s building, it just doesn’t meet the current needs of today.”