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Writer's pictureThe Beagle

Revealed that government has not yet purchased new hospital land

"The site in question is the land that is being purchased. It will either be purchased by negotiation or, if the owner can't agree on a price that is respectful of both their entitlements and the taxpayers' dollar, then it will be compulsorily acquired." Health Minister Brad Hazzard - ACM 2/2/22

Attendees to the Meet the Candidates Forum at Kyla Hall on January 31st 2022 heard that the land identified for the proposed Eurobodalla Regional Hospital had not yet been acquired and that a letter to the landowner making an offer had not yet been forthcoming. This is a full year after the site was announced. Questions are now being asked of the state government after a parliamentary enquiry heard the land for the planned Eurobodalla Hospital still hasn't been purchased. Health Minister Brad Hazzard has said the government is going through the steps necessary under the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991.

Section 10A of the act states "the authority of the State is to make a genuine attempt to acquire the land by agreement for at least six months before giving a proposed acquisition notice". The government have shown that they have little understanding with how deals are done with an eye to eye handshake in the country with the Minister saying (Bay Post 2/2/22) : "The site in question is the land that is being purchased. It will either be purchased by negotiation or, if the owner can't agree on a price that is respectful of both their entitlements and the taxpayers' dollar, then it will be compulsorily acquired.

"That's the way every regional hospital that has been built by the Liberal government has been acquired." The Minister also says "Building a new hospital of this size and scale requires significant planning. Since the announcement in December 2020, the project team have continued the planning and completed the campus master plan for the hospital buildings in collaboration with clinicians, operational staff and community members.

"More than 170 staff have been involved in 16 Project User Groups to date that have considered the positioning and layout of each department to optimise clinical outcomes.

"In the coming months the planning application (State Significant Development Application) will be lodged. Early and enabling works are scheduled to commence later this year." And all of that without having purchased the land. Here's hoping the farmer receives a fair price based on the current market and not based on the land values of more than a year ago.

Above: Declaring the new hospital site and knowing that they didn't own it. And most likely knowing the farmer had best accept their offer or the land will be compulsorily acquired. It doesn't matter who is in power - that isn't any way to act.

NOTE: Comments were TRIALED - in the end it failed as humans will be humans and it turned into a pile of merde; only contributed to by just a handful who did little to add to the conversation of the issue at hand. Anyone who would like to contribute an opinion are encouraged to send in a Letter to the Editor where it might be considered for publication

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