24/06/2025
Today is the day.
If Manning Base Hospital isn’t named in the NSW Budget with a new commitment, we are in serious trouble.
We were promised a Stage 2 redevelopment. But what we’re getting is Stage 1.75 at best.
Here’s what’s now off the table:
❌ One entire floor of the hospital – gone
❌ The new hospital ‘spine’ connecting old & new buildings – abandoned
❌ No new pathology
❌ No new pharmacy
❌ No additional operating theatres
❌ No new emergency department
❌ No significant increase in beds
Instead of true investment, we’ve been shoehorned into a $100M funding envelope that was already inadequate — and even with an extra $80M, it’s still not enough to complete Stage 2 properly.
Meanwhile, we’re being spun a line about the “Lower Mid North Coast Health Service project” — including a “Forster–Tuncurry facility” that may not even be a hospital. No one knows what this actually means.
This is unacceptable.
Our community has been patient. We are kind and tolerant. But this is about lives — and this funding failure is putting them at risk.
This was not a priority under the former Liberal–National Government. And it’s clearly not a priority under Labor either.
We need honesty.
We need transparency.
And we need proper funding today!
Ryan Park MP Hunter New England Local Health District, and (sorry still blocked), our community deserves answers.
Do not play politics with our lives.
Like, share, cross post - every community member needs to know what is going on.
Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group
Manning River Times
Forster Fortnightly