THE Coalition has matched a Labor promise to spend $100 million to create a “world class” hospital in Maryborough, which will include acute medical and surgery beds, another operating theatre and more consultation rooms.
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Premier Daniel Andrews visited the hospital on Wednesday to make the announcement, which was matched by Liberal Party Member for Ripon Louise Staley soon after.
The Premier’s announcement included the construction of a 3000-3700-square-metre building on the Maryborough and District Health Service’s Maryborough campus.
An additional building would also be constructed to replace the hospital’s urgent care centre.
The project is in addition to a new CT scanner at the hospital and the construction of education facilities allowing nurses to study in Maryborough.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the plan would mean fewer families would need to travel to Melbourne for care with 1483 additional specialist appointments to be offered in Maryborough.
“A once-in-a-generation redevelopment of Maryborough Hospital will give local families the peace of mind that world class care is just around the corner,” he said.
Ms Staley fronted the media soon after for the Coalition’s promise to Maryborough Hospital, committing to implement the complete Maryborough Hospital Master Plan over stages.
She said work would begin in the next term of government.
Maryborough is on the eastern edge of Ripon, the state’s most marginal regional seat which also takes in Donald, Stawell, Ararat and Creswick.
Ms Staley holds the seat on a margin of 0.75 per cent after winning it from Labor at the 2014 election. The victory was largely due to a boundary redistribution which took in more conservative-voting rural areas to the north.
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