State Labor candidate Debra O'Brien promises to seek commitment for hospital upgrade

Labor candidate Debra O'Brien promised to seek a commitment to fund the $20 million Glen Innes hospital upgrade from shadow minister Walt Secord in an interview on Wednesday.

Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall announced the funding commitment by his party on Monday. At the time he said it would only go ahead under a reelected Liberal/National government.

"That's not being political or partisan that's just a statement of fact. Unless the opposition commit to doing it it won't happen, because you can't build hospitals when you're in opposition," he said.

On Wednesday, Ms O'Brien and Federal candidate Yvonne Langenberg traveled to Glen Innes for a campaign event for Labor members. In an interview with the Examiner, state candidate Debra O'Brien said never say never.

"I know the community's been pushing this for a while and any investment in health is most welcome," she said.

"The helicopter pad, this is something the community has been crying out for for some time."

Later in the interview she said she was asking.

"I'd like to match this because I think it's a worthwhile funding initiative, and I have spoken to the shadow minister for health to see if we can match it.

"I will let the community know if there's a commitment made."

If funded, the project would totally demolish the old asbestos-ridden nurses quarters, construct new accommodation, gut the hospital's interior and set the groundwork for a new co-located ambulance station and possible even a helicopter pad, according to Mr Marshall.

“After more than a decade of disappointments and knock backs, it is now Glen Innes’ turn to have its health facilities brought up to par with modern health care standards," he said.

Some 3000 locals signed a petition calling for the upgrade.

Ms O'Brien said it was important to have a strong overall health budget, not just hospital upgrades. She pointed to alleged problems in other hospital upgrade projects under the Coalition.

"A hospital is more than a building, and that's what it is in Armidale - a brand new spanking shiny-floored building.

"It doesn't have enough staff, there are empty beds in it, it's been designed in a way that's clearly hasn't been consulted with the health workers who work in hospitals."

She said the Armidale hospital's security office is in a different building from the emergency department.

"What about the recurrent funding commitment for health generally, not just for hospitals, not just the one-off capital expenditure."

The pair are campaigning aggressively on transport issues, particularly the vexed rail trail debate. They want a plan to connect the several country towns in the New England area by public transport, which might include trains back on the existing rail line.

Ms O'Brien said it was important to "reinvigorate" the local Labor vote, but that the election is an "very, very big uphill battle" in the electorate.