Australia’s population rests on a dedicated network of medical facilities that see constant investment in order to meet the changing health requirements of the country. In Western Australia, the government’s $200 million investment into this infrastructure is set to assist with the expansion of the state’s hospitals as part of the Royalties for the Regions initiative.
The current planned upgrades will affect five hospitals across regional WA. Among the areas that the government has scheduled for upgrading include emergency rooms, outpatient areas and key clinical services.
One of the planned projects is a complete new build of Warren Health Service in Manjimup. The further four upgrades are at Merredin, Narrogin, Northam and Katanning.
Health Minister Kim Hames stated the project will bring a number of benefits to medical care within the state.
“The upgrades to the five hospitals, as well as upgrades to the Collie Health Service which has gone through a separate EOI process, will help in the creation of contemporary, best practice health care facilities,” said Mr Hames.
“Improvements to areas such as the emergency departments will better support the delivery of modern emergency health care now and into the future.”
As well as providing future employment opportunities for those working in the healthcare sector, the new developments will also offer important potential for construction-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
Currently, the state government is seeking applications from interested construction firms to undertake this work in coming months.
Royalties for the Regions delivers further funding
In Western Australia, the Royalties for the Regions program is delivering a quarter of the state’s revenue from mining and onshore natural gas extraction back to regional communities. The state government reported that in the 2011-12 financial year alone, $1.2 billion was invested in different developments across the state.
Since 2008, this project has invested an estimated $5.6 billion into regional communities, supporting more than 3,600 different initiatives. In June of this year, the state government also announced funding for a further 86 projects across the state, just some of the most recent developments.
There are three different aspects to this plan, with financial resources dedicated to local governments, community services and essential infrastructure. The breadth of projects funded under this model has highlighted the man different forms that this investment is taking.
As these developments continue to attract funding across the state, there are likely to be plenty of opportunities for those seeking employment in the state.
By Leanne Macnamara, Public Relations Coordinator
