$56 MILLION TO BUILD PALMERSTON HOSPITALS STAIRWAY TO NOWHERE

In astonishing evidence at Senate Estimates this morning Department of Health officials have revealed that the Abbott-Turnbull Government has paid $56 million to the CLP Government to dig a hole, part fill it with concrete, hold a media conference then immediately fill it in again.
 
Asked whether the Department would be investigating this, the Deputy Secretary responsible for public hospital funding agreements advised the Senate that the Department would not get involved in that level of ‘micromanagement’.
 
The Minister for Health must immediately detail how this was not merely a stunt straight out of the TV Series Utopia.
 
Why did the CLP last week arrange a media event of the first concrete pour at the site at what the NT Health Minister and CLP Member for Solomon claimed was a “stairwell in the main entrance of the Palmerston hospital”.
 
The NT Health Minister has subsequently admitted the concrete pour was not in fact part of the hospital proper and it soon became apparent this was a stairway to nowhere with the hole filled in again 24 hours later possibly before the concrete was even dry.
 
Despite this, Department of Health officials have accepted evidence from the NT Government that work on the site has commenced, clearing the way for a $35 million payment.
 
This takes total Commonwealth payments for Palmerston Hospital to $56 million despite no evidence that genuine work on the site has commenced beyond clearing some dirt.
 
Despite promises from the CLP Member for Solomon that work would commence in 2014, CLP infighting and incompetence meant contracts were only signed in July 2015.
 
Site services were due to commence in July 2014 and construction was due to commence in May 2015.
 
It has now been more than two years since the then Federal Labor Government committed Commonwealth funds to build Palmerston Hospital, a commitment the Coalition promised to match.
 
With Darwin Hospital close to capacity and the Liberals ripping over $600 million out of the Territory’s Public Hospitals over the next decade, Territorians cannot afford these stunts.
 
The Territory desperately needs Palmerston Hospital right now, but due to the CLP’s negligence and incompetence, it will be years before the first patient is treated.