Victoria's Liberal-National Coalition has committed $850 million to construct a new West Gippsland hospital if it wins the upcoming November state election, with Opposition Leader Jess Wilson announcing the pledge and vowing to break ground on the long-awaited project without delay.
What the West Gippsland Hospital Commitment Includes
The Coalition's proposal goes beyond bricks and mortar. The commitment covers 230 beds and treatment spaces, an emergency department featuring 33 dedicated treatment spaces, 60 residential care beds, and purpose-built accommodation for healthcare workers — a recognition that attracting and retaining medical staff in regional areas remains an ongoing challenge.
Ms Wilson described access to quality healthcare as "a top priority for my team", arguing that the West Gippsland region's rapidly expanding population has not been matched by the infrastructure investment it needs. "West Gippsland is a rapidly growing region, but under Labor basic infrastructure needs are not being met or keeping pace," she said.
A Project Years in the Making
The new hospital has had a complicated history. In 2022, the then-Labor government announced $675 million to build a 223-bed facility on a greenfield site in Drouin, with a target completion date of 2028. The region, situated east of Pakenham, has one of regional Victoria's fastest-growing populations, yet construction has not commenced.
Funding for planning and development was later set aside in the 2023 Victorian budget, as part of a broader $320 million allocation designed to prepare seven major hospital projects across the state for delivery. Despite this, the West Gippsland community has seen no spades in the ground.
The existing West Gippsland Hospital, located in Warragul, was built in 1939 — underscoring just how overdue a modern replacement facility is for the area.
Opposition Says It Will Act Immediately
Shadow Health Minister Georgia Crozier said the community had already been waiting four years for construction to begin and that a Coalition government would not repeat the delay. "This community, like many communities, are not getting a government focused on their needs," she said. "We will move immediately to get the final planning completed and start to deliver on this commitment."
The promise positions healthcare infrastructure as a central battleground ahead of the November poll, with the Coalition framing Labor's record on regional hospital delivery as a key point of difference for voters in growing outer-suburban and regional electorates.
What Comes Next
The Coalition's pledge now places pressure on the Labor government to defend its progress — or lack thereof — on the West Gippsland project ahead of the election. For residents of the region, the question is no longer whether a new hospital is needed, but which party will actually deliver one. The November election will be the deciding vote on that question.
