Premier Mark McGowan has defended the state government's funding of the Peel Health Campus, calling criticism from Dawesville MP Zak Kirkup "the height of hypocrisy."
The Mandurah Mail started a campaign in January 2018 calling for future funding of the Mandurah hospital, highlighting the need for infrastructure upgrades.
Since then, the state government committed $4.4 million in the 2018-19 Budget for the upgrade of the Campus' car parking facilities and CCTV technology.
In September 2018, health minister Roger Cook announced an additional $5 million for the redevelopment of the emergency department.
Mr McGowan was in the Peel region on Friday for the announcement of an $18 million Bushfire Centre of Excellence in the Shire of Murray.
The Premier said the fact the previous Barnett Government failed to deliver funding to Peel Health Campus meant Mr Kirkup's criticism was unwarranted.
"The last Liberal government invested a total of zero dollars and zero cents in the Peel Health Campus and we've put $10 million into it," Mr McGowan said.
"So for Mr Kirkup to whinge when they did nothing is the height of hypocrisy.
"For the Liberals to scoff at $10 million, when they spent nothing on it is more than laughable - it is ludicrous and rude.
"The money is going into a range of new facilities and it will be a significant improvement."
Liberal Canning MP Andrew Hastie announced $25 million for the hospital last month, with the federal government pledging the money regardless of the outcome of the upcoming election.
Mr Kirkup said the state government needed to increase expenditure at the Campus.
"I was elected in March 2017 and since then I have been proudly fighting together with thousands in Mandurah for more investment in Peel Health Campus," he said.
"The Premier can play politics all he wants, but that is little consolation to the scores of people who have to sit in a cramped Emergency Department, waiting hours to be seen because this government hasn't resourced the hospital properly.
"We are talking about people's lives here - Mandurah could do with less rhetoric and more resourcing from this government, because to date we've been basically ignored."
Mr McGowan said recent funding announcements in the wider Peel region showed the state government's commitment.
"Mr Kirkup is a very political operator but funding for the Peel Health Campus and the Bushfire Centre of Excellence are very significant commitments for the area," he said.
"We are very committed to Mandurah and Murray - the Bushfire Centre here today is a great demonstration of that."
The Sustainable Health Review is being drawn up by the state government and is expected to be released later this month.
The document will highlight future health needs for the Peel region and map out funding requirements for the medium-to-long term.
Gareth McKnight
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
