General News
15 January, 2025
New Cloncurry must be a top priority, says mayor
Greg Campbell is concerned that Cloncurry's hospital will get left behind by the North West Hospital and Health Service.
Mayor Greg Campbell says a new Cloncurry Hospital should be a top priority for the North West Health and Hospital Service amid a raft of major resource developments on the horizon and a growing population in the town.
NWHHS chief executive Sean Birgan has previously told North West Weekly that he would like to see the Mount Isa Hospital replaced within the next decade.
However, Cr Campbell said that it made more economic sense for a new hospital to first be constructed in Cloncurry.
“If there is any hint that Mount Isa would get a new hospital before Cloncurry, then I would be very, very disappointed,” Cr Campbell told North West Weekly.
“A new Mount Isa Hospital would be in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars, potentially amid a declining population, whereas a new Cloncurry Hospital would be less capital intensive and we are going to be at the heart of any new major mining activity that CopperString would bring.
“We are already seeing some other communities, such as Normanton and Doomadgee, receive new hospitals – I would really question the priorities of the decision makers if Cloncurry is not the next hospital to be built.”
Cr Campbell said there was also land available near the current Cloncurry Hospital site to allow for a new facility.
“I think there are problems with our current (Clonurry) hospital, such as in the emergency department, which is only salvaged because of the great staff who work there,” he said.
“We only want a hospital that meets our needs – and there is room to build a new hospital in isolation that would allow the existing building to function as normal in the meantime.”
Mr Birgan told North West Weekly that initial planning was underway for a new health infrastructure project in Cloncurry.
“The completion of the initial phase, Gate Zero, represents a key milestone in our efforts to improve health services in the region,” Mr Birgan said.
“We are now preparing to move into the next stage of the planning process, known as Gate One.
“Planning for new and upgraded health facilities is always an exciting step forward for the vital communities across the North West.”