During Annual Reports hearings today, the Health Minister confirmed her government never gave serious consideration to delivering its 2020 election promise to build an elective surgery centre at the University of Canberra hospital.

Evidence provided today was that between late 2021 and January 2023 some clinical and project staff time, plus a $2,500 consultancy was directed, not to look at this centre’s delivery, but at whether it was really required.

When pressed about this abandoned promise by Shadow Minister for Health Leanne Castley, the Minister first tried to excuse this contempt for Canberran electors by saying she didn’t think people had focussed on this commitment by Labor:

“I don’t know that very many people had actually focussed on this particular commitment… I have not received a single representation from anyone, prior to us making the announcement that this project wasn’t going ahead, asking me about it..”

Other excuses offered by the Minister was that, “this facility was never due to be opened in this term of government” and that circumstances changed.

“This just shows Labor’s utter contempt for Canberrans. The Minister is basically saying that if the public doesn’t focus on a particular promise, then its excusable to abandon it,” Ms Castley said.

“This government has a track record of overpromising and under-delivery of health infrastructure projects, but today’s evidence shows Labor’s promises on health infrastructure are not worth the paper they are written on.

“Clearly Labor was never really serious about honouring this commitment for an elective surgery centre at the University of Canberra.

“The Labor-Greens Governing Agreement committed the government to delivering 60,000 elective surgeries over the next four years, and to establishing an Elective Surgery Centre on the University of Canberra campus.

“While one promise has been abandoned, the other is highly unlikely to be delivered.

“Last year Canberra Health Services fell way short on elective surgery targets, meaning that many patients are living in pain and discomfort.

“At the end of 2022-23 there were 2,161 patients waiting longer than clinically recommended for elective surgery - 5 times the target of 430, and 58 per cent higher than the 1,364 at the end of 2021-22,” Ms Castley concluded.