Title: Lennon backs rail site
Orginal link: http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,21343294-3462,00.html
Author: PHILIPPA DUNCAN
Published date:March 08, 2007 12:00am
PREMIER Paul Lennon has supported a new Royal Hobart Hospital being built on railyards in the wharf precinct.[/b]


"In my opinion, it"s the best site," Mr Lennon said.

He also confirmed the Government owned the site, leased by Pacific National, which this week said it would "be happy" to move to Brighton.

Mr Lennon has been pushing for the waterfront, especially the City Hall axis, to be redeveloped to be more accessible and user friendly.

In January, announcing the winners of the Hobart Waterfront International Design Competition, he said "hopefully we have not got too much longer to wait" for change.

[i]The Mercury[/i] revealed yesterday that the 5ha railyards site had emerged as the most likely place to build the new hospital.

The site is large, close to existing medical support services, soon to be vacated and, most importantly, within the stipulated CBD boundary.

Three experts in planning, health and transport have agreed, that of the city sites, the railyards have the most to offer.

Health Minister Lara Giddings, who will recommend a site to Cabinet by the end of next month, yesterday hinted the railyards could be chosen.

"(We) would have to look at the expense of obtaining a private site," she said.

"You would like to work on land that you already own."

Ms Giddings also indicated the site would need to be relatively free of buildings.

"You"re not going to be knocking down Myers," she said. "You have got to be sensible."

Ms Giddings also agreed that the Domain would be a controversial choice.

"I have been interested that the Domain has been raised through the public," she said.

"I think there are some in the community who are concerned should that ever be taken up as an idea."

But she stressed that no decision had been made and all inner-urban CBD options were on the table, including building close to the existing RHH and retaining some of its buildings.

"There will be pros and cons for every site," she said.

A Hobart City Council alderman yesterday also supported the railyards site.

"I think transforming a disused railyards site into a hospital would probably gain the most community support," Alderman Marti Zucco said.

Also yesterday, Ms Giddings rejected a call from the Australian Medical Association to re-name the RHH to coincide with the new hospital.

"It"s not on my radar," she said.

WE ALREADY HAVE A DAM HOSPITAL grr stupid peoplez

Yeah..

they would do so much better to spend a few million dollars on hiring people to staff the damn thing

and why the frell did they just build a whole new emergency wing costing a few million (13 i think?) if they are just going to scrap the damn thing?

honestly, the government doesnt know WTF its doing with our tax money.. nor have they asked the general public (im talking general vote like an election) what there prefered idea is.

Honestly, they need to stop and think about what they are doing.. divide the money they have (60 - 40) 60% for the hospital for training / employing new staff and giving nurses a payrise

and take the rest to the public education system..

hell yeah

Apart from the fact she should have said Myer, they don't have to now, its already done for them