Hospital Debacle: No contract, no costings, no plans
Published August 2026
“We’ve had some startling revelations come out in the Budget and Finance Committee hearing this morning where it was confirmed by the head of SA Health that there is currently no final contract for construction of the main building of the new Women’s and Children's Hospital.”
“I’m no construction engineer, but what I do know is that you need a builder to build a hospital.”
“SA Health also conceded today that the $3.2 billion budget figure that we’ve heard is now actually at the lower threshold of what South Australians can expect to fork out for this project.”
“This is on track to be the Royal Adelaide Hospital 2.0 with blow outs in timeline and cost, and that is of huge concern for our health system which is bursting at the seams.”
“This is a project that is so important for our health system and the future of South Australia. It’s now been 13 years since Labor first promised that we would get a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital but there’s no contract to get building.”
Comments from Shadow Minister for Health and Wellbeing Jack Batty regarding the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital build.
“These are extraordinary revelations that, despite 13 years since the Labor Government promised a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital, there’s no contract to build it.”
“The only contract they’ve entered into is to build a car park. Blair Boyer is the Minister for Health, not the Minister for Car Parks.”
“This calls into serious question the timeline of this project. If you don’t have a contract, it’s going to come to a point where work will be delayed or work will stop.”
“We have a Minister who is dithering with no contract, no costings and no plan. He doesn’t even know what he’s promising to build let alone when he will build it. The idea that the project is on time and on budget is a fantasy. This project is too important to fail. The Minister just needs to tell South Australians what is going on.”
