New England Mutual swings in behind petition for Armidale Hospital upgrade
16.11.2011
New England Mutual is encouraging members and staff to join the campaign to meet a target of 10,000 signatures for a petition calling for a $50 million capital upgrade of Armidale Hospital.
This week senior staff met with Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay who has sent the petition to all households and businesses in the Armidale Dumaresq, Guyra, Uralla and Walcha areas.
CEO Kevin Dupé said copies would be placed in the local branches for members to sign. Staff would also make extra copies for those who wanted to take them away to gain further signatures.
“This is a really important campaign for our region and as a committed community organisation we are backing the petition 100 per cent,” he said.“Our staff are keen supporters and we will be encouraging our members to put pen to paper to ensure we do our bit to meet the target.”
At the meeting Mr Torbay told NEM staff that thousands of people had already signed copies of the petition and returned them to his office.
“It’s an issue that our community feels strongly about and New England Mutual is taking a lead in supporting this campaign so strongly,” he said. “I’m encouraging people of all ages to sign including children as they will benefit from an upgraded hospital as much as everyone else. A strong show of local support will strengthen our case.”
When the target has been reached the MP will present the petition to Parliament to trigger a full debate on the state government’s commitment to the upgrade. He said he was disappointed the first application to the Commonwealth Health and Hospitals Fund, backed by $10 million from the former state government had been unsuccessful.
“What we need now is to regain the momentum, get the current government to pledge the $10 million as leverage in a new application for $40 million federal funding for the project,” he said. “It has the support of Hunter New England Health which has made it a priority, the New England Health Alliance and the University of New England. Our hospital building is old and inefficient and does not meet the needs of the community, doctors, nurses and other staff or the students at the Rural Medical School.
“We need to speak with one united voice on this issue and that’s what the petition is achieving. Copies of the petition can be obtained at my office in Rusden Street – phone 6772 5552.”
Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay looks on while New England Mutual senior staff Will Winter (Community Investment Unit), Marie Piddington (Telephone Service Centre), Gray Malone (Armidale Branch Manager) and CEO Kevin Dupé sign the Armidale Hospital upgrade petition.
