Wodonga Council tactics against Victoria on Albury hospital out

A staff recommendation to Monday night's council meeting calls on the government to consider redirecting its kitty to a greenfield site.

It is one of five actions proposed in response to the Victorian and NSW premiers announcing in October that $558 million would be spent on expanding Albury's hospital and downgrading its Wodonga counterpart.

Others centre on continued advocacy for a single hospital on a new site and seeking a meeting with the Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas.

There is also a push for the state government to show Wodonga's health and wellbeing will not be adversely affected and to lobby the federal government to "leverage" the states' funding deal for a "full health precinct".

The agenda for next week's meeting also includes a copy of a letter written by Wodonga mayor Ron Mildren in December to the office of Premier Daniel Andrews.

"Council understands the initial commitment has been made and is hopeful that this decision will be open to review, be informed by business cases, and data," Cr Mildren wrote.

He asks whether Albury Wodonga Health will continue to run the Albury hospital and for detail on plans for the Wodonga hospital.

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Six cross border impacts of the expanded Albury medical hub are then outlined to Mr Andrews.

They include greater congestion at the Borella Road and East Street exits to the Hume freeway and the need for increased public buses from Wodonga over extended hours across seven days a week.

Similarly the ability to attract taxis and ride share operators to take Victorians to the hospital is raised.

Legal implications of police, corrections officers and child protection workers taking people out of Victoria's jurisdiction for healthcare are flagged.

And what will happen if there are pandemic or other border shutdowns, and emergencies such as floods, and health worker training and education operates are the last two points put.

The report going before Monday's meeting also states "without the master plan or a business case that provides the rationale to proceed on a brownfield site, questions remain on whether this is the best result for the Albury-Wodonga region".

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