McGinty's Fiona Stanley Fiasco

McGinty's Fiona Stanley Folly - "Calm before the Storm?"

The Desert Rat is a bit mystified as to why the Liberals haven't called our failed Health Minister Macavity McGinty and the Carpenter Government to account over the continuing shambles at the Fiona Stanley Hospital.

The cost blowouts, the earthworths contract and the cuts to services all reflect McGinty's administrative incompetence.

Earthworks Contract

At taxpayer expense we have seen glossy brochures sent to all and sundry in the run-up to the election campaign which extol the virtues of the Carpenter Government. Stamped on the brochure is "Construction Commenced".

Take for example the site earthworks. The Desert Rat was informed by one contractor that they looked at the earthworks tender and declined to put in a price because they thought it too risky.

Why? Because Fiona Stanley is a contaminated site. It is a former area of silted-up swamps, the area has acid sulphate soils, which have to be removed from the site, because they will eat at the concrete and steel in the foundations. Soils in this area contain naturally occuring iron sulphide which when exposed to air turn into sulphuric acid. The government wants a fixed price contract to be completed in a compressed time frame - a recipe for major disaster and litigation for contractors. Remember the Government contaminated site fiasco with the Minim Cove development at Mosman Park.

The Desert Rat is unsure if McGinty means the pre-election media stunt showing Fiona Stanley, McGinty and Carpenter shovelling at the phony start of "building" is all the construction that has taken place.

It is highly probable that if they have managed to let the earthmoving contract, without secretly amending the conditions of the contract if removal of hazardous waste has been underestimated and the time frame is not flexible.

Cut to Services - Obstetrics and gynaecology gone!

Jim McGinty's planned obstetrics mess has further deteriorated. The Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department was part of Stage 1 when Woodside Hospital and Kalamunda Hospital maternity services were shut. It wasn't announced when later the Obstetrics and Gynaecology had been moved to Stage 2 and a month ago it was scrapped from Stage 2. No Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Fiona Stanley - despite the promises and the incredible pressure on King Edward Memorial Hospital.

The only reason why it has been scrapped is to contain costs at Fiona Stanley Hospital and have the public believe the blowout are less than they really are. All about perception, nothing about substance and reality - spin, spin spin.

Cost Blowout - now over $2 billion!!

In a previous post the Desert Rat pointed out that Fiona Stanley costs had blown out by $1339 million , from $451 m when it was announced in 2005 to $1721 in the December 2008 estimates. Those figures are now 9 months old and the price of steel went up 38% in the last 12 months as well as other costs adding another $500 to $600 million in costs. By the time construction starts the cost will be well over $2 billion. It is a fiasco.

Very few building contractor are interested in taking on the job because of the short time frame and fixed price contract that McGinty wants to cover his political arse in the short term. He will be retired when the shit hits the fan! The unrealistic expectations created by McGinty are pure politics.

We get the politicians we deserve it seems.