A MASTER plan for future hospital operations in Albury-Wodonga may remain secret, despite an expectation it would be made public.
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The office of Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley declined to answer Border Mail queries about when the plan would be published for the community to examine.
The blueprint is being treated as an internal planning document and therefore would not usually be released publicly.
Benambra MP Bill Tilley said the it should not be hidden from the public.
"This is a community document that should be available to everyone in Albury-Wodonga just as it was for the Royal Melbourne master plan, the new Footscray hospital and Bendigo," he said.
The need to bolster services and pressures on the current set-ups has been highlighted this week with an internal emergency, known as a code yellow, declared after high demand on emergency departments at Albury and Wodonga hospitals.
Mr Foley was asked for his response to the code yellow, a spokesman replied by attacking the Opposition.
"You can't trust the Liberals with our hospitals in Wodonga or anywhere in Victoria," he said.
"When they were last in government they cut funding to regional hospitals, slashed services and sacked staff and they'll do it again if given the chance.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"We have a strong record of investing in Albury Wodonga Health where in partnership with NSW we are delivering an upgraded and expanded emergency department and short stay unit."
Mr Tilley shot back.
"To blame the Liberals is pathetic, Labor has been in government for 18 of the last 22 years while the only one that is putting money into Albury Wodonga Health is a NSW Liberal government," he said
"To claim the emergency department as proof of their commitment is a disgrace, NSW put $30 million into this project, Victoria $6 million.
"The NSW money has been in the Victorian Treasury for two years and we still haven't seen a sod turned on that project.
"The minister has to stop the political BS, be honest with us, tell us what's going on - release the master plan now."
Indi MP Helen Haines said the code yellow proved the need for a new hospital.
"The master plan is ready to go, and the Victorian and Federal governments have got to put down their political swords and come together for the sake of our health on the Border," she said.
"A new hospital is desperately needed, but only the first step.
"We need real solutions to the health workforce shortage and our housing crisis to ensure we have both the facilities and the workforce we need."
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