Eurobodalla councillors add their voice to call for clarity around hospital

They will also be lobbying for the government to reassess the need for an emergency department in Batemans Bay in light of shifting shire demographics and uncertainty around a Moruya bypass.

The move to advocate on behalf of residents concerned with the hospital's process - and progress - came at Tuesday's council meeting, April 30, when Mayor Mathew Hatcher tabled a mayoral minute.

In his motion, Cr Hatcher said the NSW government had been clear that the opening of the new Level 4 regional hospital in Moruya required the closure of both Moruya and Batemans Bay hospitals.

While Cr Hatcher and other councillors acknowledged they did not have the authority nor the relevant knowledge to determine whether state health facilities should be opened or closed, they wanted to add their voice to the community's in seeking "honesty and transparency" from the NSW government.

The mayoral minute recommended council advocate to the NSW government to prioritise construction of the Moruya bypass "to provide direct and efficient access to the hospital from the north of the shire"; and advocate for increased ambulance services in the north of the shire.

It also recommended council advocate to the federal government to extend opening hours of the Batemans Bay Urgent Care Clinic to 24/7 to coincide with the opening of the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.

At Tuesday's council meeting a fourth point was added, requesting the NSW government to reassess the need for the Batemans Bay emergency department given changes in shire demographics and uncertainty around a Moruya bypass.

Cr Hatcher clarified that his point about the urgent care clinic hours was not intended to be at the expense of closing other facilities, but to see improved services across the board.

"Let's be honest and transparent so the community knows what to expect," the mayor told ACM after the meeting.

"Following COVID we've seen demographics shift and the population increase. So it's fair to ask the state government to check the data to see if it still stacks up [to require the Bay ED closure].

"We all want the Level 4 hospital...and everyone who stands up in this community for better health results is after the best outcome.

"The more transparent the government is, the better."

The move comes a week after a fiery public forum at the Batemans Bay Soldiers Club, where a petition with more than 18,000 signatures was presented to the leader of the NSW opposition - rather than elected MP Michael Holland as initially expected.

"By not acting swiftly on this issue and the 18,000-plus signatures on a petition to the state government, we would be doing our community a disservice," Cr Hatcher said.

"Unfortunately it is becoming political."

Cr Amber Schutz agreed.

"Any polarisation is very damaging," she told ACM after the council meeting.

"What council has done here is very important."

Deputy mayor Alison Worthington questioned whether the council was overstepping its remit by being "proscriptive" in making such requests of the state and federal government, but was supportive of the advocacy approach in seeking clarity.

The motion passed unanimously, to which the mayor was thankful.