There will be shorter emergency department wait times and better mental health treatment in Northern Perth as a result of a Shorten Labor Government commitment of $154 million to build a new, state-of-the-art, 75-bed mental health unit at the Joondalup Health Campus.

This is an investment in better public hospitals, better health care, and more health and infrastructure jobs for the West.

Labor is serious about ensuring that West Australians have the health care they need – and we know that Joondalup Health Campus desperately needs new investment to keep pace with substantial population growth in the area.

In 2017, there were almost 6,000 presentations to the emergency department related to mental health. Patients presenting with mental health issues to emergency departments often have to wait to access care, with some patients waiting up to six days in an emergency department to be admitted. 

That’s why Labor will invest $154 million to build the world-class facilities that Perth’s growth-corridor needs – building a new, 75 bed mental health unit as part of the expanded Joondalup Health Campus.

The creation of the mental health unit will almost double mental health beds at Joondalup and create one of the state’s largest mental health units.

This funding underscores Labor’s commitment to improve the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians.

Federal Labor’s investment will support the McGowan Government’s commitment to expand the emergency department, build 90 new beds and eight new operating theatres at the Joondalup Health Campus. The McGowan Government will also open an urgent care clinic and build a Medihotel to take pressure off the emergency department and free up hospital beds.

Construction of these facilities will generate hundreds of local jobs and provide a longer-term boost to Western Australia’s health workforce.

Perth’s health has been neglected by the Liberals – Turnbull is cutting $77 million out of Western Australian public hospitals over the next three years at the same time as they are experiencing record numbers of patients through their doors.

Turnbull’s cruel and inept priorities mean he cares more about giving big business a $65 billion tax cut than he does about properly funding hospitals in Western Australia.

Labor’s $154 million commitment to improving the Joondalup Health Campus is part of our Fair Share for WA fund – a $1.6 billion investment in infrastructure and jobs projects for Western Australia.  

Under Turnbull and the Liberals, the West hasn’t been getting its fair share from Canberra. That will change with a Shorten Labor Government.

Labor can afford to make these investments because, unlike Malcolm Turnbull, we won’t give new tax handouts to multinationals and millionaires.