Benambra independent candidate Jacqui Hawkins will still fight for Border hospital

On October 27, premiers Dominic Perrottet and Daniel Andrews announced a joint investment of $558 million to redevelop the Albury hospital.

Ms Hawkins said she saw the investment as a positive step but would still maintain the fight for a greenfield, rather than a brownfield, development.

"My policy has always been for a greenfield site but I was very positive for that investment because we hadn't seen anything for so long," Ms Hawkins said.

"It's been good to have this past week to really reflect and reach out to our clinicians and have that conversation.

"Now, we've got this investment and that's great and as it's not contingent on the election outcome, it's a step towards recognising the real need that we've been calling for."

Ms Hawkins said she would happily work with either a Matthew Guy-led Liberal government or a retained Labor administration to achieve the greenfield goal.

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"The investment our community wants is that greenfield site and that's become very clear in light of the announcement," she said.

"So I still stand with and for our community on this - I will still fight for a greenfield site.

"The Border Medical Association and local clinicians have highlighted a number of questions that remain unanswered by both state governments around how the health department has decided to pursue the brownfield site.

"This is about transparency in decision-making."

Ms Hawkins said if she were to win the seat of Benambra she would "keep up the fight" regardless of which government is in power after November 26.

"I'll work with whoever forms government but the reality is that the Liberals have a big mountain to climb, they have to win all of their current seats plus another 18 on top to form a majority," she said.

"So there's a huge ask in that reality. The Liberals have said that if they're elected to government, it's not contingent on their incumbent being re-elected, they will fund a greenfield site.

"I will be holding them to account on that.

"I certainly will be making sure the community voice is being heard and it's very apparent to me that the incumbent has been absent from the decision-making process on this funding.

"If he wasn't absent he certainly hasn't been effective - that's because the decision has been made and this is the result of it - Benambra hasn't had a voice at the table."

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