Wodonga Council urges Albury to join it in fight for new hospital

Former mayor Kev Poulton, at Monday night's (February 20) council meeting, successfully put up a clause urging Albury to "advocate for a single-site campus hospital on a greenfields site and to lobby the NSW and Australian governments for more adequate funding".

It complemented a pre-existing recommendation that included Wodonga Council calling on Victoria to consider redirecting its funding of an Albury hospital upgrade to a fresh location and recommitting to advocating for a combined medical hub on greenfield land.

Cr Poulton conceded it would not be "easy" to win Albury's support but argued a united approach was needed to ensure the Twin Cities secured a hospital best suited to the area's needs.

"I'm sure that if Albury Council know what's good for them they'll come kicking and screaming to that leadership," Cr Poulton said.

IN OTHER NEWS

"We'll get hopefully a good outcome as a cohesive community rather than being divided or politicised in everything we do."

Councillor Danny Lowe said "second best isn't good enough for our community" and it was important Albury "get in behind us and help us advocate for the one community we are".

"Yes we live on two different sides of the border, yes we have different political systems and alignments and barriers that are in place, but we need to leapfrog over them....and all combine...and have one voice," Cr Lowe said.

Councillor Olga Quilty said a greenfields site that has "superior qualities regardless of what side of the border" it is was required for a new hospital.

Deputy mayor Libby Hall pointed to comparative data showing Albury Wodonga Health has only 337 beds well behind Ballarat (785) and Bendigo (766) hospitals.

Underlining his drive for a united front in pushing for a new hospital, Cr Poulton later in the meeting voted against a draft Two Cities One Community strategic plan for 2022-25.

"(It) is really out of principle," Cr Poulton said.

"If we can't get our act together on the most important topic like health....and be aligned with that I question the full relevance of this agreement between the two councils."

Cr Poulton was the only one of six councillors at Monday night's meeting to vote against adopting the plan with Graeme Simpfendorfer an apology.

The ex-mayor also questioned why a summary of council lobbying for December and January did not reference any health efforts.

Mayor Ron Mildren responded by saying a request had gone to a minister and council staff were working to seek relevant meetings.

He said the "duck was paddling fiercely under the water" but nothing had unfolded whether of public notification.

Cr Lowe called on the community to appear in big numbers at Albury Wodonga Health's annual meeting next week.

"Go to that meeting and voice your opinion and support the greenfields site," he said.

Cr Mildren later echoed that sentiment.

"I'd also like to encourage a very big turnout from our community to the Albury Wodonga Health AGM," he said.

Questions on notice for the meeting closed yesterday and registrations to attend The Cube meeting on February 28 have to be lodged via agm@awh.org.au by Tuesday (February 21).

To read more stories, download The Border Mail news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: