Geraldton hospital redevelopment expected to begin in late-2023 as Meekatharra Health Centre delay revealed

Details on the timeline of the second stage of the Geraldton Health Campus have been revealed at a Budget Estimate session yesterday, where Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson did not confirm the project would be completed by mid-2026. It was also revealed planned upgrades for Meekatharra Hospital are being delayed because of concerns it could threaten an Aboriginal heritage site. Speaking on the Geraldton hospital project, Ms Sanderson said it was expected requests for proposals would be completed by the end of the month, with a contract awarded by October. Ms Sanderson did not guarantee construction would begin this year but said it was “not unreasonable” to say it would. “All planning and discussion so far has indicated that construction will commence in the last quarter of 2023,” she said. In documents released when the Government went to tender for the project in December 2022, it was stated construction was expected to begin in mid-2023 and be completed in mid-2026. Shadow Minister for Regional Health Martin Aldridge said the failure to meet the mid-2023 goal was a sign the Government was mismanaging the project. “Over six years after WA Labor promised the people of Geraldton a new hospital, and we are yet to see a tender awarded or construction begin,” Mr Aldridge said. “The State Government clearly can’t be trusted to deliver this project on time or on budget.” Ms Sanderson did not confirm the project would be completed by mid-2026. “That is realistic but it is determined by the tender,” she said. Ms Sanderson was also questioned on a planned $48.5 million upgrades for Meekatharra Health Centre, which were announced in 2021. The Health Minister said the project was being revised after it was determined the building site would fall within a registered Aboriginal heritage place. Ms Sanderson said it was expected tender would be early next year and a completion date determined. National MLA for North West Central Merome Beard said the redevelopment was a major concern for the community. ‘The Meekatharra Hospital is over fifty years old and well past its use-by-date and well and truly in need of replacement – something this Government has been claiming it would deliver since 2017, but has failed to do so,” Ms Beard said. Ms Sanderson said the Government was committed to its multiple regional health infrastructure projects, but labour and supply shortages since the pandemic were impacting efforts. “We have an incredibly stretched construction market and companies are challenged by the cost of labor availability, and as well as the cost of materials,” she said.