The Prime Minister’s $200 million dollar promise for Midland Hospital builds on WA Labor’s promise for an upgraded emergency department during the state campaign. It comes as the Premier outlined his plans to shake up government departments. Ditching changes introduced under former premier Mark McGowan in a bid to deliver more homes and hospital beds faster.
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00:00The Premier started his day alongside the Prime Minister.
00:06Here we go.
00:07We've known each other for 40 years, sorry to give up our age here of both of us.
00:16Campaigning in the federal seat of Hasluck, they jointly promised $350 million to grow
00:21Midland Hospital.
00:22The expansion will add 60 more inpatient beds, two more operating theatres, a new ICU and
00:28as well as the new emergency department.
00:31The opposition offering its support but only because of falling bulk billing rates.
00:36People, because they are not now going to the doctor, because they cannot afford to,
00:42when they do finally present, they are so much sicker and that is what is putting pressure
00:48on our hospital system.
00:50The promise also welcomed by doctors.
00:53This is catching up to where the hospital needs to be and it's probably not even quite
00:58doing that.
00:59We do need many, many more beds across the system.
01:01Roger Cooke later announcing changes to nine of the government's 25 departments.
01:06These particular changes are focused on what we need to do now to ensure that we can deliver
01:11infrastructure and jobs, homes and hospitals into the future.
01:15The big changes will see a new housing and works department take responsibility for building
01:20social housing, schools and police stations, taking over from the Departments of Communities
01:25and Finance.
01:26Transport will expand to include a new major infrastructure arm which will be in charge
01:31of delivering key projects like hospital upgrades and a new port.
01:35In a sense, a big builder and a little builder.
01:38It's about retaining talent.
01:40Hoping to apply the expertise gained through projects like Metronet to upcoming work like
01:45the new Women's and Babies Hospital.
01:47While there are some big changes ahead for some bureaucrats, the Premier says he isn't
01:50expecting there to be any job losses and that any extra costs will be absorbed by departments
01:55existing budgets.
01:57The changes are due to start taking effect from July before being completed by the end
02:01of the year.