Peel Health Emergency: Grow up and get off the political seesaw | opinion

It’s the line which the Labor Government has been spinning whenever they’re asked about funding for the Peel hospital. 

The WA Premier Mark McGowan, Health Minister Roger Cook and Mandurah MP David Templeman, have all been quoted saying it. The party line even made an appearance in parliament last week. 

Coming off the back of Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup’s comments about Peel’s “deepening health concern”, Mr Cook was asked by fellow Labor politician Reece Whitby, who was responsible for the “lack of investment” in the Peel Health Campus.

Once again Mr Cook followed his script, stating that the last time any government made “a major investment” was in 2008 when they expanded the emergency department and the “barren period of insufficient investment” was during the term of the Barnett Government. 

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The now decade-old expansion was part of the Carpenter Government’s $40 million investment into rebuilding WA’s EDs and saw the amount of beds double from 12 to 24, as well as the installation of new equipment. 

And while Peel did receive funding in that instance, Royal Perth Hospital received $5 million, Armadale-Kelmscott Memorial Hospital received $10.4 million and Joondalup Health Campus received $16.5 million, for the expansion of their EDs during the same time period. 

Meanwhile, just north of Mandurah, Rockingham Hospital received $3 million for their emergency department renovations – just three years after already receiving a $6.5 million ED upgrade.

And the current Labor Government is still insisting that the 2008 round of hospital cash was the only significant funding boost for Peel in the last decade.

And it was – if you’re ignoring the fact that almost $4 million was invested by the Barnett Government.

There was $2 million announced in 2011, and $1.9 million at the end of the 2016 – with funding going towards the expansion of public elective surgery services both times. 

And while the politicians are busy debating who did what when, the fact remains Peel Health Campus needs funding now. 

How much longer must the Peel community wait until the politicians quit playing on this political seesaw, and put their money where their mouths are. 

Follow Amy Martin on Twitter @EntertainingAmy