Health centre uproar

Concerned locals Gabby Sloane and Kathy McDonald with Greens candidate for Kiera Kate Brandreth, Michael Sergent, and Greens candidate for Shellharbour Sonya McKay with little Calum McKay.

By WARREN JONES

RUMOURS that Bulli Community Health Centre will be moved to Bulli Hospital and the existing building sold off have spurred Greens candidate for Kiera Kate Brandreth to demand written confirmation from David Campbell that the Centre will never be sold or services there cut.

Ms Brandreth and the Greens have asked for written confirmation from Federal Minister for Health Tony Abbott and Mr Campbell before the State election on Saturday, assuring the community that their centre will not be sold.

But David Campbell’s office says there is no truth to the rumours and that Mr Campbell has no intention of responding to the Greens’ demands.

Ms Brandreth said the Greens had been directly informed of the possibility that Bulli Community Health Centre could be moved to Bulli Hospital, and the existing building sold, by people associated with the Health Centre.

“Some workers at Bulli Community Health Centre have been shown the premises at Bulli Hospital that they would be likely to be relocated,” she said.

A representative for Mr Campbell said there were no plans to sell Bulli Community Health Centre and that the Greens were simply acting “political” in the lead up to the election.

Mr Campbell’s office said that although there were some occupational health and safety issues to be addressed in regard to Bulli Community Centre, there were no plans to sell the property or reduce its staff or services.

The Greens held a press conference to announce their demands on Tuesday, which was attended by concerned members of the public, along with Ward 1 Councillor Alice Cartan. Bellambi resident Kathy McDonald was one of those at the press conference.

She said she was annoyed that she hadn’t heard anything about alleged plans to sell the centre.

“It bugs me that I didn’t know anything,” she said.

Ms Brandreth said she suspected the Government was trying to play down the issue until after Saturday’s elections.