Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison has hailed the latest milestone in construction of the new $470 million Maitland Hospital as an achievement the entire community should be proud of.
“This truly captures the spirit of Maitland,” Ms Aitchison said. “Everyone in the community worked together to ensure we will have a fully public hospital.”
Ms Aitchison made the comments following today’s Topping Out Ceremony at the Metford site, which was also attended by the Minister for Mental Health, the Hon Bronnie Taylor MLC, Maitland Mayor Cr Loretta Baker and the Chief Executive of Hunter New England Local Health District, Mr Michael Di Rienzo.
During the Topping Out Ceremony, a tree was placed on the new helipad.
Ms Aitchison noted that the helipad was in itself a significant inclusion in the new facility.
“The helipad was one of the features that was added to the original design following consultation with the community and Hunter New England Health,” Ms Aitchison said.
Ms Aitchison noted that, in the current phase of construction, the new Maitland Hospital is providing 500 jobs. Over the course of the build a total of 5,000 jobs will be created.
The hospital will also provide a significant number of new jobs for nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, cleaners and other associated health workers.
“I’d like to especially thank the local and regional workers who have worked so hard to get us to this point,” Ms Aitchison said.
“I thank the Maitland Community Unions Alliance, who alongside NSW Labor and our local community fought a seven-year campaign to reject the privatisation of our hospital.”
More than 20,000 people signed a petition calling for the new hospital to remain in public hands.
“This hospital will be truly owned and operated by all of us, for all of us, as it should be.”
Construction of the new Maitland Hospital remains on schedule, with completion scheduled for 2022.
