[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Still No Real Choices on RHH site_C O'Connor MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

STILL NO REAL CHOICES ON NEW HOSPITAL LOCATION

Health Minister Refusing to Face Facts

Cassy O'Connor MP
Greens Shadow Health Spokesperson

Tuesday, 21 October 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Bartlett Government to stop
trying to scare Tasmanians into supporting its proposed waterfront
hospital with grotesque images of a redeveloped Royal, to acknowledge
neither option has a critical mass of public support and go back to
square one so Tasmanians are presented with real choices.

Greens Shadow Health spokesperson Cassy O'Connor MP asked the Health
Minister in Parliament to concede that neither option is desirable, and
strong opposition has coalesced around each of the two, too limited
choices for Tasmania's new public hospital.

"Given the fact that the government does not have the support of the
wider community and port users for a waterfront hospital; and given the
significant unrest in the medical community, and the concerns of staff
at the current Royal site that redevelopment is potentially harmful to
staff and patients, why isn't this government prepared to consider other
options?"

"Unfortunately, Minister Giddings likes to paint this debate in terms of
only one choice, or the other.  She refuses to accept the Greens are
right on the need to restart the process with genuine community
involvement, and to look outside the immediate CBD in terms of options."

"I would urge the Minister, and the Bartlett Government, to examine the
reality of presenting two lousy choices to a public which has embraced
neither, and to now grasp the significant opportunities that a restarted
process could deliver for public health in Tasmania."

"The government is hurtling headlong towards a planning train wreck on
the waterfront, and it doesn't have to be this way."

"I would also urge the Minister to listen to the advice of Glenorchy
Mayor, Adriana Taylor, and the Greens ... and present Tasmanians with
real choices of site and design for the new Royal Hobart Hospital."

"We only have one chance to get this right," Ms O'Connor said.




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