BEGA MP Andrew Constance and NSW Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance addressed the Batemans Bay Hospital Auxiliary AGM on Monday.
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Mr Constance spoke of the importance of organ donation and praised community advocate Brad Rossiter for his work with Donate Life.
He also spoke extensively on the challenges of the state government to meet increasing health demands.
Mr Constance said with the increasing dependence on health services and the rising costs of new technology, the health needs of the state could grow 40 per cent of NSW’s entire budget.
He said it was getting to the stage that states could not continue to meet the demand.
“It’s a really difficult political discussion, but from where I see it… it means that we’ve got to do a number of things as a country,” he said.
“First of all, we have to work out where the money comes from to fund health infrastructure.”
Mr Constance said this could be through things such as the Medicare Levy, or co-payments for services.
He also said people needed to take responsibility for their own decision making when it came to lifestyle; making healthier choices which ultimately relieved pressure on the health system long-term.
Mr Constance also spoke of the South East Regional Hospital at Bega, due to be up-and-running by May, and praised the local health district for reducing its debt.
Auxiliary members were keen to learn whether Batemans Bay was getting its new bridge - Mr Constance said planning for it was due to begin this financial year.
Members also expressed concern about the recent culling of the private Priors bus service from Batemans Bay to Parramatta, however Mr Constance said it was a private business decision and not one of the state government.
He said he hoped a regional bus taskforce, recently set up by the NSW Government, would provide opportunity to identify the transport needs of the region.
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