I am pleased the NSW Government’s ban on all future public private partnerships being imposed on the state’s acute hospitals has today passed the NSW Parliament.
As a Labor government, we have always adamantly opposed these sorts of arrangements – and we will continue to oppose them, now and into the future.
The PPP Prohibition Bill has made important amendments to the Health Services Act to prohibit governments from entering into a Northern Beaches-style arrangement to build or operate an acute public hospital.
The private sector can and does play an important part in the delivery of public hospital services.
However, the use of a Northern Beaches Hospital style public private partnership raises complex issues and risks.
This Government does not believe, and never has believed, that this is a model that is best for public health care. Local community hospitals that are designed to provide services to public patients should be part of the public health system.
This Bill honours the legacy of baby Joe Massa. I want to thank Elouise and Danny Massa, Joe’s parents, for their courage and advocacy to make these reforms a reality.