FUNDING for the $562 million Frankston Hospital redevelopment has been made available in the state budget.
The budget was handed down by the state government last week. A total of $16.2 million in taxpayer funding was allocated in the 2020/2021 financial year for the hospital expansion.
The budget papers showed that $27.2 million will become available for the project in 2021/2022, $124.6 million in 2022/2023, and $191.1 million in 2023/2024. The budget read that the total estimated investment of $562 million “includes funding beyond 2023-24”.
The funding is welcome news for supporters of the project. Just $6 million was set aside for the redevelopment in last year’s budget papers.
The project was announced in the leadup to the state election in 2018. It is expected to be finished by the end of 2024.
The redeveloped hospital is slated to have extra capacity for 120 hospital beds, two new operating theatres, 13 new emergency department beds, and new women’s and children’s health services.
Expressions of interest opened earlier this year to find a private consortium to build the planned Frankston Hospital upgrade (“Private sector sought for hospital works”, The Times, 28/9/20).
Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke said the budget also included other significant investments in Frankston. He said that the budget held $4.11 million for upgrades at Karingal Primary School, $12.63 million for Frankston Special Developmental School, and $2.84 million for Nepean Special School.
Just over $100 million in taxpayer funding was put into the “Building Better TAFEs Fund”, which the Frankston Chisholm institute is set to benefit from.
“By investing in local schools, our government is investing in the kids of Frankston and their futures,” Mr Edbrooke said.
“This budget will help locals reskill, upskill and find new opportunities for a secure, decent job – creating financial security for them and those they love most.”
The state government has also committed to building 12,000 new homes for social housing.
The budget is usually handed down in May, but was delayed this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.