Nationals promise to prioritise Geraldton Regional Hospital through matching funds from Royalties for Regions

Nationals WA candidate for Durack, Shane Van Styn, is set to make the expansion of Geraldton Hospital his first priority should he win the seat on Saturday.

Mr Van Styn said the State’s Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls had agreed to seek dollar-for-dollar funding through the State Government’s Royalties for Regions program if a federal funding commitment was secured.

Mr Grylls said if Mr Van Styn was elected on Saturday, he would join him in Canberra within 30 days to meet the Federal Health Minister and negotiate funding streams.

“I will waste no time heading to Canberra with Shane and request the Federal Government commit to helping Geraldton Hospital expand its services,” Mr Grylls said.

“We’ll be seeking a commitment from the Commonwealth to deliver $60 million towards hospital upgrades in one of WA’s most important regional centres.”

Mr Grylls backed Mr Van Styn’s calls for a federal funding commitment to extend and upgrade services at the 70-bed public hospital, which was built in 2005 to replace a 120-bed facility.

“Geraldton Hospital has been experiencing growing service gaps as the demand for health services outstrips the hospital’s ability to deliver them,” Mr Grylls said.

“I will seek $60 million in Royalties for Regions funding on the condition the Federal Government agrees to meet Shane’s request.”

Mr Van Styn previously said he would fight for funding to address serious service gaps in acute mental health, cancer, dialysis and emergency medicine if elected.

“Staff at the hospital are working near or at full capacity,” he said.

“Geraldton Hospital has been overlooked for too long, funding requests have been ignored and its services are becoming strained to the point it will jeopardise health service delivery.”