Western Sydney deserves better from government
with Michelle Rowland MP
When we look at our neighbours in North Sydney , it ’ s hard to ignore how different our experiences are in this shared health system . At Blacktown Hospital , waiting times for critical emergencies like heart attacks and strokes almost tripled in one year . At Westmead , they doubled .
Not to mention , emergency patients arriving by ambulance in Western Sydney have to wait almost twice as long to get admitted to hospital , compared with Northern Sydney .
Sydney ’ s north west is one of the fastest growing areas in the country and our healthcare system needs to be able to keep up with this population increase .
If it doesn ’ t , patients suffer and so do our healthcare workers .
The population of Blacktown LGA alone is forecast to grow to 527,000 by 2030 , and 644,000 by 2040 .
That ’ s why over 1,100 constituents have signed my petition for an emergency ward at Rouse Hill Hospital , with more signatures coming in every day .
The resistance from the Liberals in funding an emergency ward at Rouse Hill Hospital is reflective of so much more than just denying infrastructure for Sydney ’ s west .
It is indicative of the government ’ s attitude that neglects our community in this area ; whether that be refusing a vaccination hub in Greenway , to now seeking to abandon the promised $ 5 billion Projects Fund for Western Sydney .
Our efforts to secure an emergency ward at Rouse Hill Hospital is both a practical solution for a problem intensifying each day . The community is sending a clear message to federal and state Liberal governments — stop ignoring us . We deserve better .
18 ISSUE 09 // DECEMBER 2021 theindependentmagazine . com . au BLACKTOWN CITY INDEPENDENT