Families in Melbourne’s western suburbs will be able to access world class healthcare close to home with a re-elected Andrews Labor Government to build a massive new public hospital at Footscray.
Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today announced the Andrews Labor Government’s preferred site for the new Footscray Hospital at Victoria University’s four-hectare Footscray Park campus, on the corner of Geelong and Ballarat Roads.
The Labor Government promised to build a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital for Melbourne’s west, and we have, with the world class $200 million Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital opening its doors next year.
With more families choosing to make the west their home, we know there is more to do to meet the growing demand for healthcare from local families.
That’s why the Labor Government funded the land purchase for a new Footscray Hospital in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 and only a re-elected Labor Government will invest up to $1.5 billion to build the new 504 bed hospital.
Building a bigger and more modern Footscray Hospital will cut waiting times and allow almost 15,000 additional patients to be treated each year, as well as almost 20,000 additional emergency department admissions.
It will also allow up to 17,000 western suburbs residents to be redirected from inner-city hospitals back to their local area each year, taking pressure off other hospitals and giving patients world-class care close to home, family and friends.
The new Footscray Hospital will continue to be a major tertiary and training hospital and hub for specialist health services in the west and will also include a major expansion of mental health care.
This project will transform the inner west, creating over 2,000 jobs during construction and establishing Footscray as a major precinct for jobs, health and education.
A re-elected Labor Government will start construction in 2020 and the hospital will open in 2025.
The Victorian Liberals cut more than $1 billion out of our health system, closing hospital beds and leaving thousands of Victorians stuck on waiting lists. Only Labor will deliver high quality, affordable public healthcare to Victorians.
Quotes attributable to Premier Daniel Andrews
“Only Labor will build a new Footscray Hospital and give local families peace of mind that if their loved one is sick, they’ll be able to get the world class, affordable public health care they need, right around the corner.”
“Our hard-working doctors and nurses at Footscray Hospital are second to none – this will give them the bigger, better hospital they deserve to keep providing the very best care to local patients and their families.”
Quote attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“A new Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Sunshine and a new Footscray Hospital will take pressure off inner-city hospitals and give provide world-class health care and facilities for local communities of the west.”
Quote attributable to Member for Footscray Marsha Thomson
“This is a game-changer for families. With first-class healthcare and first-class facilities it will transform Footscray into a major centre for jobs, healthcare and education.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020