A public hearing is set to be held in the Narrabri Shire next week as part of the inquiry looking at a proposal to split the Hunter New England Health District into two separate districts – Hunter Local Health District and the New England North West LHD.
The Committee on Community Services is holding the inquiry into the Health Services Amendment (Splitting of the Hunter New England Health District) Bill 2025 after it was referred to the committee by the Legislative Assembly in February.
It’s understood the committee will be holding a public hearing in Narrabri on Monday, June 16, and the venue will be Narrabri Shire Council chambers.
“The bill was introduced by the Member for Barwon, Roy Butler, to improve health services in the Hunter New England LHD by splitting the existing district into two separate health districts,” said committee chair Clayton Barr MP after the inquiry was announced.
“The committee will be looking at how this proposal would operate, including potential benefits and risks, and whether it would improve health services in the Hunter New England area.”
A media statement on the committee’s webpage said its focus was on the proposed splitting of the Hunter New England LHD, and the committee cannot investigate individual experiences of medical care.
This is the same inquiry that received a flood of submissions from local residents, community groups and organisations, councils, peak bodies, business and agricultural representatives, professionals, stakeholders in the health sector, and other members of the public.
The committee encouraged submissions “about issues such as the potential impact on the administration of the LHD, funding and resourcing, staffing, and access to health services in rural and regional parts of the Hunter New England area.”
As previously reported by The Courier, there are twenty-five council areas, home to almost one million people, that make up the Hunter New England Local Health District.
Local submissions to the NSW parliamentary inquiry show broad community approval for splitting the district. Of all the cities and towns covered by the district, one features prominently in an inquiry looking into its proposed division: Wee Waa.
Of the 101 submissions received, including confidential items unable to be viewed by the public, almost 25 highlight concerns about the lack of 24-hour medical facilities in Wee Waa or provide examples of having to travel to seek treatment, particularly to Narrabri Hospital and then further in the health district.
Pressure to restore services in Wee Waa really started to ramp up and gained media attention in November last year when the community group ‘Save Our Wee Waa Hospital’ held its first rally, with more than 250 people taking time away from their workplaces and daily lives to support the cause.
The volunteer group’s crusade to keep the hospital’s doors open 24/7 with a permanent onsite doctor led to the rallying of more than 10,000 signatures on a petition that sparked a 40-minute debate about the health crisis in NSW parliament earlier this year. Narrabri Shire mayor Darrell Tiemens, together with Save the Wee Waa Hospital Committee members and Wee Waa community representatives officially presented the ‘Save the Wee Waa Hospital’ petition to Member for Barwon Roy Butler, who was joined by Health Minister Ryan Park.
Keeping the spotlight on health services, Member for Barwon Roy Butler introduced a bill to split the Hunter New England Health District which triggered the current inquiry.
“The motivation for introducing this bill is that there has been a significant decrease in services delivered by HNELHD to the New England Northwest area of the current HNELHD,” said Mr Butler.
“Obstetrics services are unavailable, the LHD has displayed a distinct lack of urgency regarding the ongoing reduction of hours of operation of the Wee Waa Hospital and there have been some poor interactions with communities beyond the eastern part of the LHD.”
Cr Tiemens, who is also a member of the Save Our Wee Waa Hospital committee and the Wee Waa Hospital Working group, warmly welcomed the committee’s decision to come to Narrabri for next week’s public hearing.
“I’m very happy that they’re coming to Narrabri and to Tamworth, we think it’s a move in the right direction. We really appreciate it,” said Cr Tiemens. “The Save Our Wee Waa Hospital committee is a formidable bunch, with representatives from across the community – farmers, retirees, lands council, business owners, younger members of the community, two other councillors and locals who have watched the demise of this vital community asset.
“My argument, and that of the Narrabri Shre Council, is that splitting up the local health district would be a move in the right direction.
“Based on the assumption that more resources would be moved to the new health district, hopefully based in Tamworth rather than the big city of Newcastle, and we would have greater access to resources. Greater cultural understanding of issues that impact rural and remote areas.
“It makes no sense to have a local heath district that is half the size of New Zealand, serving a metro city like Newcastle as well as small towns and villages on the far peripheries of Hunter New England Health.
“At the moment, Hunter New England Health is not fit for purpose. Rural and remote parts of the health district are squeezed of resources and attention from specialists and health services.
“Looking at the broader shire perspective, we need Wee Waa Hospital open 24/7 with a number of doctors signed up to be VMOs and we need better resourcing and access to services at Narrabri Hospital, which has missed out on critical services such as stroke diagnostic software.
“There are no kidney dialysis machines in the Narrabri Shire despite the fact we have a significant level of need.
“It’s been interesting to see neighbouring councils to get on board with calling for the split of Hunter New England Local Health district.”
Member for Barwon Roy Butler has continued to raise the issue in parliament, last week he moved a notice of motion. “I give notice that on the next sitting day, I will move that this House:
1. Notes the multiple attempts to get action from Hunter New England Health District on services in the New England area, particularly Wee Waa.
2. Observes a petition debate on Wee Waa services held in this place.
3. Thanks the Minister for an Independent view of decisions made by the Health district instigated at my request.
4. Awaits the outcome of a Parliamentary inquiry into the Health District, triggered by my bill to split the Health District.
It’s expected the Committee on Community Services’ webpage will be updated with more information about the public hearing in coming days.
As previously reported, a submission to the inquiry by HNELHD chief executive officer Tracey McCosker PSM said splitting the district would be ‘disruptive, costly, and ultimately detrimental to the people we serve’.
“It would not solve our most pressing challenge: workforce shortages. This is a nationwide issue affecting all sectors but is felt most acutely in regional and rural areas like the North West of NSW.”
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