Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey has declared the long-running saga over the Women and Babies Hospital's location is over, as the ink dries on the $1.8 billion contract with Webuild.
Health Infrastructure Minister John Carey has declared the long-running saga over the Women and Babies Hospital's location is over, as the ink dries on the $1.8 billion contract signed with Webuild.
The Italian contractor and the state government officially signed the contract to build the new hospital today, after former joint venture contractor Roberts Co exited the arrangement as its financial stress surfaced and administrators were called in.
Roberts Co and Webuild were originally named as the preferred proponents for the state government’s $1.8 billion Women’s and Babies’ Hospital, but Webuild has since taken full responsibility for what is one of the biggest construction projects in WA.
Clough – a Webuild subsidiary post-acquisition - chief executive Peter Bennett was confident the contractor could not only complete the major hospital build without a joint venture partner but also by the 2029 deadline.
He said Webuild was backed by its experience delivering more than 200 hospitals internationally, 20 hospitals in Australia and seven in Western Australia.
“The collaboration with Roberts Co was over a portfolio of projects, and we rely on the expertise of the team we've put together,” he said.
“Our team is fully established, so we have the right team to deliver this project.
“It’s unfortunate Roberts Co won't be part of it and we’re certainly not happy with their departure from the industry. But it won't affect our ability to build.”
The Women’s and Babies’ Hospital was initially proposed as an election promise in 2021 to replace the aging King Edward Memorial Hospital.
It was initially proposed for the Queen Elizabeth II site in Nedlands, but in a shock move the state government decided to move the hospital to the Fiona Stanley Hospital site in Murdoch, drawing swift criticism from the medical community and WA Liberal Party.
Prior to the March state election, Liberal Party leader Libby Mettam declared her party would build the $1.8 billion hospital at the QEII Medical Centre campus.
When asked whether the signing of the contract today marked the end of the debate around the Women and Babies Hospital’s location, Mr Carey replied yes it does.
“It was the member for Vasse, the former leader of the Liberals that of her own doing, without any prompting, called the last election a referendum on the site location," Mr Carey said speaking in Murdoch.
“This announcement today completely puts to rest any other site than this site.
“We will deliver it on this site by 2029.”
Mr Carey said efficiencies had been created to ensure they could meet that timeframe, such as increasing the number of cranes on site and working on a Saturday morning.
“There are efficiencies from our previous learnings, like the disastrous delivery of the Perth Children's Hospital, and there is a robust risk reward mechanism to create both incentives and penalties,” he said.
Mr Bennett said his team had studied the mistakes made during the delivery of the $1.2 billion Perth Children’s Hospital led by peer contractor John Holland, which culminated in significant delays, cost overruns and a now-settled legal dispute.
“Some of our team members were part of that experience. And so those lessons learned are very much at the forefront of our mind, not just our mind but the state,” he said.
The major project is tipped to create 1,400 jobs during construction, which is expected to commence later this year with the first of two car parks to get underway.
