'A backflip of gymnastic proportions': Dr Michael Holland on hospital announcements

"I welcome any improvement in services to primary health service," Dr Holland said.

Dr Holland said the new primary health facility at Batemans Bay is "a great idea, but it's only a consolation for the Batemans Bay community for the fact that their services and their nursing levels have been reduced in Batemans Bay hospital."

"I give you my commitment that I won't allow further reduction in staffing and services at Batemans Bay and keep those services going until the new hospital is opened," he said.

"I also ask the state government: if you're spending $20 million on a HealthOne facility in Batemans Bay, in terms of equity, are you going to provide that to the Narooma, Cobargo [and] Bermagui communities which are a long way between the two hospitals [in Bega and Moruya]?"

Dr Holland welcomed the announcement that the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital will open at level four, but said the move was "a backflip of gymnastic proportions... four weeks after the minister of health said, on paper, that it would open level three."

"We welcome this commitment," Dr Holland said.

However, Dr Holland wants the final plan for the hospital to be available for the community before the by-election.

"The community still doesn't know what the final service plan is," he said. "The doctors and nurses haven't endorsed the final plan."

Dr Holland said he took what he saw as the NSW Government's recent interest in health facilities along the south coast and in the Eurobodalla personally.

"I've been campaigning for this for more than five years," he said. "I've been working in health for 19 years. These problems aren't new."

"Our grassroots community movement to get level four services was started by me and some small individuals. We are the ones that have achieved that."

"Does anyone truly believe [these announcements by the NSW Government] would have happened if Michael [Holland] wasn't running in this election and putting real pressure on the NSW government?," state opposition leader Chris Minns said.

Mr Minns attended the 144^th Eurobodalla Agricultural Show on January 23 to support Dr Michael Holland as the Labor candidate for the Bega by-election.

Mr Minns said the recent NSW Government announcements were caused by the pressure applied by Dr Holland's pre-selection.

"The pressure on the NSW government is working, but the only way to close the deal is to send Dominic Perrottet a message on February 12 and vote for Michael Holland," Mr Minns said.

The by-election will take place on February 12.