Griffith’s long-awaited new ambulance station looks set to become a reality with $4 million pledged in the NSW budget, but a revamped hospital remains off the books, despite a commitment to make it a priority and a $3.4 billion surplus.
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Member for Murray Adrian Piccoli welcomed the budget and its $45 million funding for projects across the electorate, including the ambulance station, social housing upgrades worth $1.3 million, a $1.2 million boost to McWilliams Wines for a centralised distribution facility and $925,000 for the Griffith Southern Heavy Vehicle By-Pass.
However, Griffith Business Chamber president Pat Pittavino was left fuming, accusing Mr Piccoli of letting the government short-change Griffith.
“The ambulance station was promised at the last election and that $4 million is money they were going to spend anyway,” Mr Pittavino said.
“McWilliam’s was coming anyway and we’ll only get a bit of the social housing money, so all we’re left with is $1 million on a roundabout. A revitalised hospital is what the town wants and we haven’t even heard any timeline on planning.”
Mr Pittavino said the Griffith area contributed about $3 billion to the state economy each year.
Griffith mayor John Dal Broi said he was very happy with the announcements but admitted to a “tinge” of disappointment when he heard there was a surplus and no mention of the public hospital.
“You would think there might be at least funds for planning seeing Deputy Premier Troy Grant indicated it was a priority in May,” Councillor Dal Broi said. “We’ve been identified as a regional centre by the planning department and with our growth prospects I would have hoped a little more could come our way. I don’t want to sound ungrateful but as the community grows, as employment grows, issues of health, education and housing grow too.”
Mr Piccoli said the hospital was “on the radar” but the government needed to “run” a surplus.
“The NSW government is showing good fiscal management and is in a strong position, but the reason we’re in this position is we invest carefully in public infrastructure,” Mr Piccoli said. “We’ve recently spent $1 million on the hospital’s maternity ward and we’re looking to spend money on a dialysis unit soon too. The hospital is on the radar as needing an upgrade and that money will be available in the future.”
Stephen Mudd
Stephen Mudd is a journalist for Fairfax Media west of the great divide. He loves music, dogs and travel.
Stephen Mudd is a journalist for Fairfax Media west of the great divide. He loves music, dogs and travel.
