AT first light tomorrow (Thursday May 9) a mini bus full of Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group members will leave Taree and head to Sydney to present a petition to the NSW Parliament.
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The petition calls on the state government for increased funding for Manning Base Hospital to have stages two and three of the hospital's redevelopment completed in entirety.
Action group president Eddie Wood of Taree said there'll be representatives from throughout the area heading to Sydney tomorrow.
"We'll have people from the Manning. Great Lakes and Gloucester,'' Mr Wood said.
"There's strong community support for this.''
Dr Murray Hyde-Page, the chairman of the medical staff council at Manning Base Hospital, will also be on the bus.
There are 12,007 names on the petition, which will be presented to Member for Myall Lakes, Tanya Thompson, tomorrow afternoon.
The group started amassing signatures four-and-a-half years ago. A total of 10,000 signatures is required to have it announced in parliament.
COVID 19 lockdowns and restrictions caused delays, however the group doggedly continued the quest.
"We've had an unbelievable response from the community, and that includes Gloucester, Bulahdelah, Wingham, the Great Lakes... it's been unbelievable," Mr Wood told the Times in March when the 10,000 milestone was achieved.
Funding for stage two of the redevelopment was originally announced in 2020 by the then NSW Coalition government, with work expected to start in 2021.
"That $100 million was originally put out in 2020 for stage two, and it's now 2024. And there's not $1 of that money been spent yet," Mr Wood said.
"And that $100 million, we've costed it out, is only worth (about) $69 million with building costs gone up.
"There has been absolutely no communication from Hunter New England (Local Health District) or the Health Department in regards to (the Manning Base Hospital) redevelopment. None whatsoever. And it's an absolute disgrace.
"Nobody knows anything. We've become the forgotten hospital in Hunter New England."
Mr Wood thanked Eggins Comfort Coaches of Taree for donating the bus for Thursday's trip.
"That's certainly made it a lot easier,'' he said.
Mr Wood said the petition would be debated in parliament in June and representatives from the health group will be in attendance.
