An elected Malinauskas Labor Government has pledged to invest $3.4m to boost drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in Mount Gambier.
The investment forms just part of an extensive multi-million-dollar Limestone Coast Health Policy which will be rolled out in the coming days, as part of South Australian Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas’ visit to the Limestone Coast tomorrow.
Speaking to The SE Voice ahead of his visit, Mr Malinauskas said another $8m would be allocated towards a major redevelopment of the Naracoorte Hospital, which he said was “long-overdue for a major redevelopment, with local community advocates’ requests falling on deaf ears”.
“The $8m investment will provide for the first stage of a redevelopment of the vital facility, with further work required over the coming decade,” he said.
“Labor’s $3.4m investment into drug and alcohol rehabilitation services will fund the addition and operation of four additional drug rehabilitation beds in Mount Gambier.”
Mr Malinauskas has already announced Labor will commit $100m to country health and hospitals, instead of proceeding with the Liberal Party’s $662m proposed inner city Adelaide basketball stadium.
“The pressures on our failing health system are only exacerbated in regional South Australia,” he said.
“Our country hospitals have faced emergency department closures, obstetrics deferrals and chronic staff shortages – we need to ensure every South Australian, regardless of their postcode, has access to the best possible healthcare.
“South Australians in the Limestone Coast should have access to quality healthcare in their community.
“People across the Limestone Coast will have a clear choice – Steven Marshall and his $662m city basketball stadium or my united Labor team which is choosing instead to spend the money on our health system – including $100m on country health and hospitals.”
Mr Malinauskas said he had learnt over the years the Limestone Coast had “more economic opportunity in the region than any other part of our state”.
“For the better part of 20 or so years, many people in Adelaide have had the misconception that people in the Limestone Coast need the city, when in reality it’s the city that needs the Limestone Coast,” he said.
“The Limestone Coast has never had a big economic crisis in the last 20 years … in Mount Gambier and the Limestone Coast there’s never been a massive industrial economic crisis and it has been neglected as a result.
“This is why I’m very excited about launching a comprehensive Limestone Coast policy.
“Clearly the task for Labor to win a seat in the South East is huge, beating Troy Bell or Nick McBride will be really hard but we believe we are a shot.
“Mount Gambier has been a Labor seat in the past, it’s been a while ago now but if we want to be a party of government we have to demonstrate to our regions … that we are serious about being in government for everybody.”
Shadow Health and Wellbeing Minister Chris Picton echoed Mr Malinauskas’s comments.
“Our regional communities feel let down by the Marshall Liberal Government’s mishandling of the state’s health crisis,” he said.
“More and more services appear to be falling away from our country hospitals and the chronic staff shortage is having a detrimental effect on the services that are left.
“This investment in the Limestone Coast health system will fill a gap the community has been desperately needing and will ensure locals can access the care they need in the community where they live.”
