Tuesday, 16 November 2021

Northern Victoria Region

Mr QUILTY (Northern Victoria) (12:20): (1507) My constituency question is for the Minister for Health. Albury Wodonga Health is in the process of planning a new hospital big enough to service the combined cross-border community. There is a parcel of former railway land situated in the north of Wodonga owned by the state government. The land is near the Bandiana Link Road, providing access from the freeway, making it close to anywhere in the twin cities. This land is the ideal location for a greenfield site for the new hospital as well as a co-located private medical precinct. This is an opportunity for forward planning and securing a parcel of land that will serve the growing needs of Wodonga and the border area for the future. A location for the hospital must be chosen. It is important this land be secured for this purpose now before it is built out or sold off for development. I have long been an advocate for this site. Minister, will you reserve this land for the hospital and start the broad planning and the rollout of the necessary infrastructure to prepare for the construction of the new Wodonga hospital and medical precinct over the next 15 years?