NSW shadow health minister and deputy leader of the opposition in the NSW Legislative Council, the Honourable Walt Secord, has pledged his support for low-risk maternity services at Yass District Hospital in a speech in the Upper House.
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Mr Secord delivered the speech on May 29, following his campaign to return maternity services to the hospital in the state and federal election.
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Mr Secord noted the impact to Yass Valley mothers of crossing the border to access maternity services at hospitals in Canberra or Queanbeyan.
Women cannot currently give birth at Yass District Hospital.
"It is one thing to be heavily pregnant and know the nearest hospital is some suburbs away but knowing it is some hours away is an entirely different prospect," Mr Secord said.
"Independent data shows that over the past 20 years there has been a 47 per cent increase nationally in the number of babies born before arrival at hospital.
"Not surprisingly, in recent years the Rural Doctors Association of Australia has spoken out about the risk. This is particularly so in regional communities that are growth centres. Yass Valley is one of these," Mr Secord said.
Mr Secord had assisted the Labor candidate for the seat of Goulburn Ursula Stephens and member for Eden-Monaro Mike Kelly to secure $4.7 million to fund a low-risk maternity ward at Yass Hospital.
That money was, however, dependent on the opposition winning either election.
"It is no wonder the issue of maternity and birth services is becoming a critical concern for families and mothers in this region," he said.
"On April 22, I went to Yass to hear their concerns again firsthand. I met local mothers Ms Jasmin Jones, Ms Lindsay Hollingsworth and Ms Bec Duncan, all from the region, along with my Queanbeyan-based Country Labor parliamentary colleague the Hon. Tara Moriarty and the federal MP for Eden-Monaro, Dr Mike Kelly.
"These women were the driving force behind a 2,000 person petition last year to restore maternity services there. At the meeting I gave a commitment to continue to support their campaign," Mr Secord said.
Mr Secord disagreed with the NSW government's current stance on the issue.
"Under the coalition's leadership, NSW Health maintains that there is not enough to justify maternity services in Yass," he said. "However, the community believes otherwise and the Australian Bureau of Statistics data suggests the community is right.
"Currently, there are about 200 births a year in the Yass Valley, which has a population of around 17,500 and is growing by 2.9 per cent a year. By 2036 it is expected to grow to almost 28,000 people. Yass Valley is a growing community and it deserves to have health and hospital needs in tune with the needs of the community," Mr Secord said.
Mr Secord called on the opposition to rethink it position.
"Both sides of this chamber agree that investment in our regional centres is economically vital. But where is the Berejiklian Government on this issue?" he asked.
"If members of the government listened to the Yass community they would know that calls for a low-risk maternity service have steadily intensified. But they are not listening.
"On February 26, health minister Brad Hazzard and newly elected Goulburn Liberal member Wendy Tuckerman rejected the calls.
"I urge the minister for health and medical research and the local member to listen to the concerns of the community," Mr Secord said.
