MP Sussan Ley flags private-public partnership for Albury hospital

The member for Farrer has raised the idea amid concerns a proposed $558 million revamp of the hospital will fail to meet health demands.

"I've always raised the issue of the importance of a public-private partnership when it comes to health facilities," the former federal health minister said.

"Unfortunately state governments don't like using the private system, but they need to look at things differently, because if public funding does not build the infrastructure we need, (then) we need to look at ways of a partnership with private health that would actually share that cost and give our community a strong hospital that has both public and private facilities, not that dissimilar to the cancer centre now."

Ms Ley plans to sound out contacts in the private health sector about her proposal, pointing to public and private hospitals sharing a site in Griffith as an example of collaboration.

"There are examples where the infrastructure, the actual build, has been done by the private sector and the operation might be done by the public sector or the private sector, so there is a range of different models," she said.

"But a public-private partnership is something we need to consider seriously.

"The details of what that looks like and who pays what and who operates the hospital and under what conditions is obviously subject for a further discussion, but I believe there should be interest out there, because this is a community that would make very, very strong use of a hospital facility in terms of access to private health and access to the tertiary treatments that we deserve in our region."

Ms Ley made her comments while at Albury's Lauren Jackson Sports Centre on Friday November 10.

She visited the stadium with her Coalition colleague, the Opposition's regional development spokesman Darren Chester, to speak to Albury Council representatives about a planned aquatic centre at the site.

The council in October voted to pursue a plan to build an all-year round swimming hub at the stadium, which is seen as requiring state and federal government funding to proceed.

"There's been much talk over the years about a new aquatic centre for Albury and I'm delighted the momentum is with us in terms of council supporting an indoor aquatic facility here," Ms Ley said.

Mr Chester said the challenge for the federal government was trusting local communities which prioritised projects, such as the aquatic centre, and "then backing them in with the money that is needed".

Aquatic centre lobbyist Stephen Mamouney acknowledged it was a tough economic environment in which to secure government funding.

"I'm an accountant by trade, I'm well aware that resources are scarce, so it's going to be up to our communities to fight for the funding for this, but I'm an advocate for it and I know at least we've got a plan to work towards and we'll do our part," Mr Mamouney said.

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