Ed,

In March 2019 Mr. Chris Gulaptis, our member for Clarence in the State parliament, publicly announced that a new Grafton hospital was to be built at a cost of $263.8M and that if re-elected work will commence before the next state election which in this case is 2023. The Coalition was re-elected, and the new hospital is not on the horizon.

Since 2019 there have been a number of media scrums with many announcements and promises but as yet no hospital.

Deputy Premier Mr. Barilaro made an announcement of an amount of $20M being set aside for the new hospital and that all promises would be honoured. I understand that this money cannot be found.

I believe that in August 2022 the NSW treasurer Mr Keane wrote to the Clarence Valley Mayor informing him that $263.8M was committed to the hospital and that $1M is in the 2022/23 budget for the new hospital. That $1M will not go far to build a $263.8M hospital.

Mr. Gulaptis and the State Government, where is the money for the new hospital that has been promised since 2019? It does not appear to be in the 2022/2023 State budget.