The unveiling of the new Maitland Hospital site has been overshadowed by a fiery exchange which saw Member for Maitland Jenny Aitchison booted from the property by Liberal counterpart Scot MacDonald.
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In front of an assembled pack of media on Thursday, Mr MacDonald asked Ms Aitchison if she was invited to the event, before saying “I’m not really happy about you being here”.
“You’ve been against this for two years … you’ve been part of the lying process for two years,” he said.
“I’d like you to leave.”
A stunned Ms Aitchison replied “are you serious?” before leaving the Metford site.
The Maitland MP slammed Mr MacDonald after the incident, stating that she was “just stunned” at what she called the “nasty, bullying manner” of her eviction.
“I’m just astounded,” Ms Aitchison said.
“Today was beyond the petty politics, the preparation works were going to be done either way (no matter the operating model).”
She also took umbrage at Mr MacDonald’s assertions that she was “against” the development.
“That attack is so divorced from reality. I’ve been the biggest defender of our hospital,” she said.
“My main contention is that today was meant to be a day celebrating that, after seven years, the hospital has finally commenced. This has taken away from that.”
However, Mr MacDonald wasn’t backing down from his comments.
“Jenny is a roadblock to the hospital,” the Legislative Council member said.
“I’ve got absolutely no apologies for not involving Jenny (in Thursday’s event).”
Mr MacDonald said a Labor pledge to review hospital operator contracts if they came into power would set the project back “by years”.
“The community wants this hospital to get done and Jenny is a roadblock to the momentum of this project.”
The shock stoush stole attention from what was otherwise a significant step forward for the new hospital.
Site preparation started earlier this month, with Donnelley Constructions Pty Ltd undertaking the work which will include a new Metford Road roundabout for the main hospital entrance.
The state government announced in July that they would seek a not-for-profit organisation to operate the hospital, prompting fears that some services could be compromised. Mr MacDonald stated there would be no change to that model, but emphasised that it would remain a “full public access hospital”.
“Whatever services you can now get at Maitland, you will continue to get here,” he said. Mr MacDonald said that NSW health minister Brad Hazzard would present a shortlist of not-for-profit providers at the end of 2017 or early next year.
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