CATHERINE KING MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR HEALTH

MEMBER FOR BALLARAT
NOVA PERIS OAM
SENATOR FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY
MEDIA RELEASE
TIME FOR SCULLION AND GRIGGS TO TELL CLP MATES TO BUILD
PALMERSTON HOSPITAL
Its time for the Federal CLP members to put the people of the Northern Territory
ahead of their CLP mates and demand they build the Palmerston Region Hospital.
It is now been 20 months since the election, and almost two years since the former
Federal Labor Government committed the Commonwealth funds to build Palmerston
Hospital but because of the CLPs dysfunction and negligence all that has been built
is an intersection.
In August last year the CLP signed an agreement with the Commonwealth to start
major construction of the hospital in May 2015. It is now May 2015 and far from
starting construction, the hospital still doesnt even have an approved design.
With Darwin Hospital close to capacity and the Abbott Government ripping over $600
million out of the Territorys Public Hospitals over the next decade, Territorians cant
afford any further delays.
The Territory desperately needs Palmerston Hospital right now, but due to the CLPs
negligence, it will be years before the first patient is treated.
The Palmerston hospital has already been delayed until 2018 and if construction of
the hospital doesnt start this month, then it will be set back even further.
Ms Griggs should stop making excuses like the wet season is delaying the
construction. How does the wet season delay the production of a design for the

Palmerston Hospital? It is now the dry season so why is the hospital not being
built?
Territorians are sick of the delays and the excuses and its now long past time that
Senator Scullion and Natasha Griggs put the Territory ahead of their CLP mates and
use whatever influence they might have to get Palmerston Hospital built.
MONDAY, 4 MAY 2015
MEDIA CONTACT:

STEPHEN SPENCER (KING) 0423 596 573

URSULA RAYMOND (PERIS) 0457 825 507