War of words over Eurobodalla radiotherapy service hopes

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston visited Batemans Bay and Moruya on Tuesday, September 24, accompanied by the Liberal candidate for Gilmore, Andrew Constance.

They visited a number of stakeholders in the shadow minister's portfolio to hear about local concerns, including a tour of the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital site, aged care facilities, and meeting with the Don't Close Batemans Bay ED group.

Senator Ruston said they were disappointed to have a request to visit Batemans Bay Hospital turned down.

The biggest issues raised during the visit were the difficulties accessing essential healthcare close to home, and the impending closure of the emergency department.

"The need for locally available healthcare services in regional areas is undeniable," Senator Ruston said.

"We understand the challenges of accessing healthcare in regional Australia, and how we must seek to ensure that patients are not forced to travel hundreds of kilometres to access the healthcare they need.

"It is clear that both the state and federal government need to do more to secure timely healthcare access for the people of Batemans Bay, including by keeping the emergency department open."

Both Senator Ruston and Mr Constance also said a radiotherapy service was a necessity for the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.

"To have the federal health shadow minister Anne Ruston's support to fight for the radiotherapy centre is key," Mr Constance said.

"Labor has failed to deliver and we are calling on them to build the radiotherapy centre rooms as part of the new level four regional hospital."

While Senator Ruston claimed the former Coalition government committed to funding a centre, Labor MP Fiona Phillips came out this week firing back against "hypocrisy" from the Liberal camp.

"At no time when the Liberal government was in government at both the state and federal level, when Mr Constance was the state member and a senior cabinet minister, did they ever advocate for, nor deliver a radiation therapy service for the Eurobodalla," Ms Phillips said.

"In fact, even when the federal Liberal government in April 2019 announced funding for regional radiation services including in the Eurobodalla, then announced in August 2020 applications were opening, no application was even made for a radiation therapy service."

Ms Phillips said Mr Constance was "playing politics" with an important community facility and he was "attempting to pull the wool over the eyes" of vulnerable cancer patients and their families.

"It's a bit rich of Andrew Constance, after himself failing to deliver a radiation therapy service, to be poo-poohing actual federal funding that I've secured and made sure remains available for a much-needed radiation therapy service," she said.

"I've continued to work with our community, and advocate strongly through the Reid Report...for the absolute need for a Eurobodalla radiation therapy service.

"His claims that I have been silent are complete and utter rubbish."