Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner and former Liberal candidate for Blue Mountains Michael Paag yesterday slammed the State Labor Government for sacking the casual nursing team at Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital.

Their comments came after a permanent casual nurse telephoned Radio 2GB to advise the entire casual nursing team at the Blue Mountains District Anzac Memorial Hospital were sacked.

The news of the mass sacking comes one week after the State Labor Government secretly closed the hospital’s birthing unit despite pledges it would remain open.

“Nathan Rees will commit taxpayer funds to a V8 Supercar race, an AFL football team for Western Sydney and the search for a mysterious Black Panther,” Mrs Skinner said.

“But when it comes to Blue Mountains families and their hospital, Labor says it can’t afford to employ casual nurses,” she said.

“Local families rely on the hospital for important health care services such as the emergency department.

“The Great Western Highway is often closed due to serious accidents and there are extensive roadworks under way between Katoomba and Hazelbrook resulting in lengthy traffic delays.

“It can take up to 2½ hours to travel from Katoomba to Nepean Hospital on a Sunday afternoon.

“John Della Bosca and Blue Mountains Labor MP Phil Koperberg must explain to local families why the State Labor Government is willing to compromise critical health services by sacking these nurses.

Former Liberal candidate Michael Paag accused the State Labor Government and Member for Blue Mountains Phil Koperberg of a secret agenda of closing the hospital.

“This is just another example of an underhanded and deceptive agenda by the State Government to close our hospital in order to bail out Labor’s budget mess,” Mr Paag said.

“Elective surgery is all but nonexistent despite two fully equipped operating theatres.

“The maternity unit has closed twice this year despite promises from Mr Koperberg that it’s ‘here to stay’.

“I made it very clear to former Health Minister Reba Meagher on September 3 the importance of our hospital.

“I told her to ‘take that message back to Cabinet’.