Labor peddles lies over St George Hospital

Member for Oatley Mark Coure today accused NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson of lies and deceit over St George Hospital.

“There is no $3 billion cut to the NSW health budget - in 2013/14 it increased by 5.2%,” Mr Coure said.

“There is no cut to the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District - in 2013/14 it increased by $63.4 million or 4.5%.

“There is no cut to St George Hospital budget - in 2013/14 it increased by $12 million to $395 million.

“Labor should stop telling lies about St George Hospital. Labor’s lies only serve to hurt the hardworking staff and cause unnecessary alarm among patients.”

Mr Coure said he is proud of the NSW Liberal & Nationals Government’s commitment to St George Hospital.

“Each week brings our new emergency department closer to reality.

“The NSW Liberal & Nationals Government is delivering on its $39 million commitment to build the new ED – and delivering almost 400 construction jobs in the process.”

Mr Coure said he was delighted to join Health Minister Jillian Skinner in November to announce $800,000 funding to progress planning on the next stage of the St George Hospital redevelopment.

“We aren’t resting on our laurels - there’s much more to be done and I am proud to be part of a Government which is rolling up its sleeves and doing it,” he said.

Latest Bureau of Heath Information data shows improvement in performance at St George Hospital, with 65% of patients leaving the emergency department within four hours, up from a dismal 49% in the dying days of the former Labor government.

“The future has never been brighter for St George Hospital. The community is rightly proud of its hospital, which is undeserving of the lies and disrespect heaped on it by Labor,” Mr Coure said.