Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas responds after Wodonga Council meeting

Ms Thomas was on the Border on Wednesday, September 6, for a tour of the new Albury hospital emergency department, currently under construction, and was quizzed about an online meeting on Tuesday, August 29, between her and Wodonga mayor Ron Mildren and the council's chief executive Matthew Hyde.

She said to "continue to campaign against" the Albury hospital redevelopment was "not a very fruitful exercise".

"We don't issue directives to councils," Ms Thomas said.

"What Wodonga City Council chooses to do is up to Wodonga City Council, but we are building a new clinical services building here in Albury.

"I was very happy to meet with the mayor of Wodonga. I made it very clear to the mayor and to the CEO, that the best way to engage with this project is to get on with the project.

"The way to engage with government, the way to engage with the Albury Wodonga Health service is to get on board with helping shape the future of this health service, including the new more than half billion dollar clinical services building that will be built here in Albury."

"They want to see governments getting on and deliver, and that's exactly what both (NSW Health Minister) Ryan (Park) and I are committed to.

"We are not building a greenfield hospital, we are going to take great advantage of the existing facilities. We have $36 million invested into a facility (emergency department) that is set to open shortly.

"We have an Australian leading cancer centre, we have a cardiac cath lab, we have the University of New South Wales here in this precinct, we have accommodation for patients and staff available in this precinct. It just makes sense, so let's get on and deliver it."

Ms Thomas didn't accept claims she'd neglected the Wodonga community, where she completed high school, and its council and stressed the city's hospital would continue to deliver services.

"I'm very committed to ensuring that the people of Wodonga continue to have access to world class health care," she said.

"I'm confident that with the transition and maternity services here to Albury, co-location of acute care will deliver better outcomes for the people of Wodonga.

"I want to be very clear, hospital services will continue to be delivered in Wodonga. That's why I'm pleased that the work has already commenced on planning for the future of the Wodonga site once those maternity services are able to be located here on the Albury site."

Cr Mildren told The Border Mail on September 1 the chances of a greenfield hospital site for the Border region were "pretty low" but said the fight was not over.

"The minister has given us a whole range of undertakings and described what's been done so far. She gave us a lot of answers to some questions that we had, but didn't answer all the questions," he said.

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