Mr Costa, whose department recently released a 10-year-infrastructure plan that stated Tamworth’s new hospital was still awaiting State Government approval, was being grilled by Tamworth-based Nationals MLC Trevor Khan.

Mr Khan had asked a question

without notice about the lack of information on the redevelopment which was first announced two years, three state budgets and two NSW

infrastructure plans ago.

Mr Khan asked the treasurer why, given the redevelopment was announced in the 2006 State Infrastructure Strategy, it was listed in the new 2008-2018 strategy as:

“Not yet approved but form part of the $140 billion State Infrastructure Strategy to 2017-18”.

“Treasurer, why is the redevelopment, two years on from announcement, not yet approved? Why is it listed as in the planning stages for the next four years?” Mr Khan said.

“Treasurer, is funding for the

Tamworth Hospital redevelopment conditional upon the privatisation of the State’s electricity assets?”

Mr Costa would not give Mr Khan any indication of when funding approval could occur.

He did say the project was not dependent on the sale of the

electricity assets, however.

Mr Khan said it was time the

Government moved its commitment to Tamworth Hospital from the talking stage towards the bricks and mortar stage.

“It is inexplicable that the redevelopment of our hospital would languish in the planning stages for six years,” he said.

“Funding is another major issue.”