Budget cash splash hopes to fix flammable cladding problems at Perth's biggest hospitals
It's in addition to the $33.3m announced in the government's mid-year review to replace the dangerous cladding at the Fiona Stanley Hospital B block, which houses its main medical wards.
Taxpayers were expected to foot a $41m bill to remove the cladding according to last year's budget figures, but that number is now expected to balloon even further.
Non-compliant aluminium composite panel cladding has been under intense scrutiny since the Grenfell Tower blaze in London claimed the lives of 72 people in 2017.
Figures in Thursday's State Budget reveal WA Health has not only budgeted another $33.3m to address the problem panels at FSH, but that the works on B block are expected to take until at least the 2028-29 financial year to fix — more than 10 years on from the London inferno.
Budget papers also revealed the works already in progress at FSH are set to cost $15.6m, bringing the total cost at the main southern suburbs hospital to $48.9m.
The health department will add the PCH remediation to its portfolio of cladding works to manage, after testing in 2023 confirmed the city's only paediatric hospital was also at risk.
The latest Building and Energy report on remediation efforts revealed of the nine Department of Health buildings requiring remedial action, five had been completed.
A State Government spokesman confirmed works were already underway at FSH, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre and Joondalup Health Campus.
'This is a program of works across multiple buildings in a 24/7 live hospital environment,' the spokesman said.
'Works must be staged and scheduled to avoid impact on patients and service delivery.'
A government contract for the QEII works reveals the Cancer Centre, the Sarich Neuroscience Research Institute, and the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital mental health unit are among the affected buildings.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
3 days ago
- West Australian
Forced adoption taskforce co-chair quits after accusing State Government of attempting to ‘silence' victims
A new reference group set up to address the impact of WA's history of forced adoptions has had a shaky start, with a co-chair quitting and accusing the State Government of attempting to 'silence' victims. Jennifer McRae has told The West Australian she was 'told off' after writing to Minister for Child Protection Jessica Stojkovski, to lobby for redress for survivors and a notification system to alert adults who don't know they were adopted. 'I haven't signed any kind of confidentiality . . . the reply was, you've accepted the position so it's kind of an assumed expectation,' Ms McRae said. 'We've been told we're not discussing that and my role as co-chair was to make sure that we stay on task. 'The expectation was that I was not to participate in advocacy work. There was no way I could agree to that, because it's my voice and to be silenced yet again by a government organisation, the very organisation that removed me from my mother, is just too much to ask.' The State Government confirmed that Ms McRae has 'voluntarily' elected to withdraw her application for the reference group. 'The State Government is committed to ensuring people with lived experience of forced adoption play a key role in driving change and informing the legislation, policies, practices and services that impact them,' a Government spokesman said on Friday. The Government spokesman said a notification system, recommended by a parliamentary inquiry into forced adoption last year, was not supported 'due to the potential to cause significant harm and distress' but that the process for adults to apply for information was being improved. Ms McRae said many adoptees, potentially hundreds, don't know to ask. 'This is a human rights issue,' she said. 'People do have a right to know that they're adopted because it impacts so many parts of their lives and now their own children, especially around being able to access your medical information. 'If you had the BRCA gene (linked to breast cancer) in your bloodline, knowing that can save your life.' Ms McRae, who was named Albany's community citizen of 2025, has also vowed to continue fighting for a redress scheme, similar to the $85,000 payment announced last month for members of WA's Aboriginal stolen generation. The Government has only committed to 'further consideration' of a redress scheme, that the Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affair's report 'Broken Bonds, Fractured Lives' recommended should include a monetary payment and a personal apology from institutions. 'We've had a pretty vague (response), not yes or no,' Ms McRae said. 'This would be a great opportunity for the reference group to discuss redress.'
West Australian
6 days ago
- West Australian
Destructive shot-hole borer reaches Perth's far northern suburbs
The destructive polyphagous shot-hole borer has reached Perth's far northern suburbs, with the City of Wanneroo now reporting its first case. News of the detection comes just over a week after the state government announced it would transition from eradicating to managing the pest, which was first detected in Perth in 2021. The City of Wanneroo said they're working with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development to implement a Tree Management Plan for the affected tree - which is in the suburb of Wanneroo - and will keep a close watch on the area in the coming weeks. Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said the city is committed to taking swift action to prevent the pest's spread. 'The PSHB could significantly impact the City of Wanneroo's urban canopy if it were to become established here,' she said. 'It's important that we all check our trees for signs and report any suspected sightings, to allow DPIRD to investigate. 'Protecting and increasing our canopy cover and vegetation is a key goal for the City, as set out in our Urban Forest Strategy.' As Perth's most northern metropolitan local government, the City of Wanneroo covers 685.8 square kilometres, stretching from Girrawheen to Two Rocks. In the neighbouring council, the City of Joondalup has also confirmed three PSHB cases on council-managed land and is continuing to work with DPIRD to these infestations. Following the decision to end eradication efforts, the State Government has committed an additional $62.6 million to biosecurity responses and $2.17 million to research projects to help curb and treat infestations, including chemical treatments aimed at managing the spread of the shot-hole borer. WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis believes the State has a strong foundation to manage the pest moving forward, as the infestation remains confined to the metropolitan area. 'We will continue to look for alternative solutions by supporting local scientists to undertake more research under WA conditions,' Ms Jarvis said. 'The more we can learn about this pest, the better equipped we will be to protect and support our State's tree canopy and agricultural industry.' For more information on PSHB and the signs to watch for, DPIRD is encouraging residents to visit their website and use the MyPestGuide app to report any suspected sightings.
West Australian
21-06-2025
- West Australian
‘Putting lives at risk': Slim budget allocation sets back dire hospital developments
The State Budget contained just $10 million to revamp emergency departments at Royal Perth Hospital and Midland Hospital, prompting fears the projects won't be delivered for years. Both the Opposition and the Australian Medical Association have raised concerns about when these projects — promised at the recent State election — will happen, saying the Perth health system needs help now. AMA WA president Dr Michael Page said the health system needed thousands more beds — and could not afford to wait years for upgrades to the emergency departments at both hospitals. 'It (having only $5m allocated for each project) would indicate that they are not planning to do any building work within the next 12 months, and that's concerning,' Dr Page said. 'For all the talk of these projects going some way towards addressing the stress that the health system is under, even if that is a questionable proposition, if no building is going to commence in the next 12 months then when are we looking at any improvement in health system performance? 'It's years away when the problem is right now. There is an urgency with the public health system that is not being addressed.' The $104m upgrade at RPH and the $105m upgrade at Midland Hospital were both lauded by Labor in the lead up to the March election. Opposition health spokesperson Libby Mettam said it was particularly galling that Labor's $217m racetrack and entertainment precinct at Burswood had been fully funded in Thursday's State Budget. 'Labor's misplaced priorities are putting lives at risk,' Ms Mettam said. 'There can be no clearer message to the people of Western Australia about the priorities of the Premier and his Government. 'These promised expansions were already a desperate catch-up for a system under extreme pressure, now they have effectively been kicked down the road until who knows when. 'Ambulance ramping at our emergency departments last month was the worst ever on record for May, at a time when doctors are warning of a severe flu season in the months ahead. 'Every time the Premier or minister stands in Parliament they are effectively turning their backs on the many Western Australians who have had to wait hours in an ambulance for admission to ED or has been treated on a trolley in the corridor or has made the uncomfortable decision to leave an ED without treatment because the wait is too long.' A spokesperson said on Saturday the Cook Government was investing $3.2 billion into health infrastructure over the next four years. This included money to undertake the detailed planning for the Royal Perth and Midland emergency department expansions. 'We're already in the process of establishing teams who will work within the new Office of Major Infrastructure to deliver the two emergency department expansions,' the spokesperson said. 'The reason we held an early Budget, was so we could get on with delivering key commitments like expanding the emergency departments at Royal Perth and Midland, to cater for our growing population. 'These are complex projects that are undertaken while hospitals remain operational, and cannot occur without detailed planning work happening first. 'We need to ensure we get it right, and planning was always going to be the first priority.'
