Critical Timeline
- May 2022 – “We will not be denied” – Hundreds gather at a Border health rally calling for a new hospital for the region.
- June 2022 – The Border Medical Association calls for state and federal unity in committing to a new Albury-Wodonga hospital.
- September 2022 – The Victorian Govt is under pressure to provide $300m for a new Albury-Wodonga hospital. Anger at commitment of hundreds of millions of dollars elsewhere in Victoria.
- October 2022 – NSW and Vic Govts commit combined $558m to redevelop the Albury Base Hospital;
- ongoing questions about why multiple recommendations for a greenfield site were not acted upon; and how the funds would meet the cost of a new hospital, estimated to be at least $1 billion;
- February 2023 – Wodonga Council begins advocacy campaign for a purpose-built hospital on a greenfield site;
- Albury Council says there is “insufficient evidence to justify advocacy for a greenfield site”;
- 2022 AWH AGM – CEO acknowledges the service starts each day with -35 beds and the service “doesn’t have enough beds right now”.
- March 2023 – Better Border Health says retrofits according to the money available are unacceptable.
- April 2023 – Mayors at odds over hospital outcome.
- May 2023 – The waiting list for elective surgery at regional hospitals including Albury Wodonga Health reportedly higher than Melbourne hospitals;
- Public engagement begins on proposed redevelopment of Albury Hospital;
- June 2023 – Wodonga Council recommits to its fight for a new Border hospital with an eight-part motion that included seeking input from 17 other local government areas;
- Albury Wodonga Health and NSW Health claims planning “well underway’ to start Albury hospital redevelopment;
- August 2023 – Victorian Premier Dan Andrews tells Wodonga Council it had been advised in its planning by the Victorian health department, the NSW health department, clinicians and health planning experts;
- September 2023 – NSW and Vic health ministers Park and Thomas visit Albury Wodonga, claiming a rebuild more achievable than a new build, and it “makes sense” to redevelop the existing site;
- BMA asks why $2.4m is earmarked for Albury hospital rebuild “planning”;
- October 2023 – Surgeries on hold while Albury and Wodonga emergency departments are inundated and paramedics report five-hour bed block;
- New master plan for hospital redevelopment released – a handful of artists impressions and a short summary of project outlines;
- Bill Tilley MP and Dr Amanda Cohn release the original master plan; call to pull the plug on redevelopment plans;
- internal reports reveal Albury Hospital wards sinking, shifting on their foundations;
- NSW Minister Park questioned at NSW parliamentary committee re how many beds the Albury hospital redevelopment would have;
- November 2023 – NSW Infrastructure releases survey on Albury Hospital redevelopment;
- Community continues to call for detail on number of beds and theatres for Albury hospital redevelopment;
- NSW Govt determines no more public-private hospitals for State;
- Wodonga Council announces a Health Summit in March 2024;
- Confirmation the well advanced plans for a new Nolan House will be scrapped and replaced;
- Elective surgery waiting list at Albury Wodonga is 3573 people;
- December 2023 – Albury Wodonga Health holds its 2023 AGM, with CEO acknowledging nothing on horizon to address bed shortages, chair confirms it no longer sees the safety of a single-site acute hospital as a “priority need”;
- Speculation a merger plan for AWH with GV Health would see Shepparton take the lead in the Hume region, denied by Vic health minister;
- February 2024 – AWH confirms new Albury ED won’t open this month;
- Further documents sought by Dr Amanda Cohn in NSW Parliament, while questions asked by Opposition in Victorian Parliament.
- Community and clinicians still don’t know how many beds we get for $558m investment.
Better Border Health 