Marlene O’Connell and Diana Brown make their views clear at the protest. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Retired retail worker Diana Brown says she can’t understand why Griffith Base Hospital is missing so many basic services.
“I had to go to Wagga with an eight-year-old child who had a broken finger,” she said.
“It’s such a pain because it’s two hours there and two hours back. We used to have a fracture clinic here in Griffith, but things are going backwards. They can’t fix a broken finger here anymore.”
She said things were different when she was a young mum in Griffith and was always able to take her kids to the local hospital when they got sick or injured.
“Now, my children have to take their children to Wagga,” she said.
Ms Brown was one of around 50 protesters who surprised NSW MPs arriving in Griffith for special parliamentary hearings held at the Regional Theatre on Thursday (12 March).
The inquiry hearings are on a bill introduced by Murray MP Helen Dalton, which aims to split up the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), the Wagga-based bureaucratic body that makes decisions for Griffith hospital.
The protesters were out in force before the hearings. Photo: Office of Helen Dalton MP.
Her proposed legislation would see the creation of a new western Riverina body that would make its own decisions on funding and services.
“I think we’ll get more funding if we split,” citrus farmer Joe Staltare said.
“We need our own body to get our fair share for our hospital and not be told what we can get by Wagga. You can’t even get a broken arm fixed in Griffith. At the moment, we rely too much on locums, but it would be cheaper in the long run to have our own doctors and nurses who live here.”
Retired farmer Marlene O’Connell agreed.
“We need our own identity. I’ve had so many family members that have had to go to Wagga. They have to take time off work and then pay for accommodation. I also know people from Hay and Hillston who come here to get help and then are sent to Wagga,” she said.
The protesters greeted politicians with chants of “time to split” and “our health in our hands”.
Helen Dalton and NSW Labor MP Trish Doyle at the inquiry. Photo: Office of Helen Dalton MP.
Michelle Milthorpe, the independent candidate running for the federal seat of Farrer at the upcoming by-election, met with some of the protesters. She said she didn’t have a position on the MLHD split as yet, but was keen to learn more.
“You’ve got this beautiful new hospital in Griffith that can’t be staffed because we know a lot of money gets to Wagga and doesn’t get outside of there,” she said.
“Talking to doctors, I’ve heard they’re trying to get contracts for staff to work here but it’s been impossible because they’re relying on a health district that doesn’t have a presence here, which makes it so difficult.”
The MLHD has expressed its opposition to being split up.
“Splitting MLHD would have a detrimental impact on existing healthcare pathways and would see more patients needing to travel further from their homes to access appropriate care,” a spokesperson said.
“Current arrangements allow staffing and community-based services to be networked and shared across the district. Removing those arrangements would require existing services to be replicated, adding significant costs, and would only add to the current staffing shortages experienced in healthcare services nationwide.”
Have you had to travel to Wagga, Sydney or Canberra for a health service you think you should be able to access in Griffith? Text Oliver the details on 0498 843 1 81 or email [email protected]
More information on the parliamentary inquiry and its hearing schedule can be found on its website.
