Labor promises millions for Geelong and Torquay hospitals

LABOR’S big guns visited Geelong on Tuesday to announce a Shorten Labor government would invest a combined $90 million to redevelop Baxter House Hospital as an elective surgery centre and establish a women and children’s hospital in Geelong.

They also pledged $15 million towards the Torquay Community Hospital. Mr Shorten was joined by fellow Labor Party members Senate Leader Penny Wong, Member for Corio Richard Marles, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Corangamite candidate Libby Coker at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds to announce the election pledge.

A statement from the Labor party said $40 million of Labor’s commitment would go towards the redevelopment of Baxter House into a “state-of-theart” elective surgery centre to allow locals faster access to surgery, and to reduce pressure on Geelong Hospital.

“This funding will go towards upgrading and reopening the existing theatres, recovery spaces, lifts and administration areas,” it said.

“Labor will also invest $50 million to help establish the new Geelong Women and Children’s Hospital, focused on providing the best health care for families.”

The investment is on top of the Andrews Government’s $100 million investment in the hospital. A commitment of $15 million towards the Torquay Community Hospital was also announced, with the investment aimed at providing suburban and regional Victorians access to services closer to their homes.

“The Torquay Community Hospital will make it easier for families, patients, carers and clients to access services – such as women’s health, diagnostics including pathology, and chronic disease management – without having to travel to Geelong.”

Liberal Corangamite member Sarah Henderson said that $50 million of the money Labor announced was already in the budget and Mr Shorten was misleading the people of Geelong and Corangamite.

“We have also announced in the budget $10 million for a new paediatric emergency department,” she said.