Gunnedah still waiting on withdrawn health services | NSW Government 2025-26 Budget

The waiting game continues for the Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment with no sign of health services withdrawn from the original masterplan.

As the NSW Government handed down its 2025-26 Budget this week, no news was ‘not so good news’ for Gunnedah Hospital.

The budget included a $3.3 billion investment to build and upgrade health infrastructure across the state. This included $700 million for a new Bankstown Hospital.

Also announced was an $11.6 million downpayment for Gunnedah’s $53 million hospital build but only to progress existing construction.

Significantly, there was no additional funding to support the reinstatement of health services cut from the hospital’s original masterplan.

Health services such as renal dialysis and chemotherapy, among others, were scheduled for the new Gunnedah Hospital design but later scrapped by government due to “escalating building costs”.

Opposition MP and Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson, did not believe there was any money in the budget for such services within the next year.

“If it’s not there that’s something I’m very keen to fight hard for,” Mr Anderson said.

Gunnedah shire councillor and health services advocate Rob Hooke said it was “extremely disappointing” but not surprising to hear Gunnedah’s pleas were unanswered, again.

“It points to the government’s lack of concern for regional areas,” he said.

More worrying, he added, was the government’s apathetic approach to provisioning of staff as well.

“There’s no drive for staffing what we’ve already got,” Cr Hooke said.

Still on health, Mr Anderson said there was also “no mention” in the budget of funding for a drug and alcohol detoxification facility in the north west region.

Alongside others such as Gunnedah mayor Colleen Fuller, Mr Anderson has been calling for unused areas of Tamworth Hospital to be re-purposed for drug rehabilitation.

The Nationals MP also took aim at the government’s apparent failure to increase resources for crime prevention.

“There is nothing new in this budget,” he said.

Mr Anderson said the Coalition had offered the government “a clear pathway” to address crime issues plaguing country communities like Gunnedah.

He said calls had fallen on deaf ears for services such as an “airwing” to be based in the state’s north west. This despite the service being utilised operationally as recently as last weekend in Uralla.

A further $1.7 million was also listed in the budget for social housing in the electorate but Mr Anderson anticipated this was a re-announcement from last year.

In 2024 the government announced the establishment of refuge accommodation in Tamworth.

The Core and Cluster women’s refuges provide accessible short-term crisis accommodation and support services for women and children escaping domestic and family violence.

On agriculture, Mr Anderson said investment in the sector had been “gutted across the board” and there was more to do, especially on biosecurity measures.

The government recently announced $141.2 million in new funding for such purposes but few, if any, references to agriculture are noted in this week’s budget papers.

Mr Anderson said his focus would continue to address regional inequity.

“Labor has pulled funding away from the regions and diverted it to the city, and that is unacceptable,” he said. “It’s important to make sure our voice is heard and to continue fighting for the things that are important to us in our region.”