Federal Labor has promised millions of dollars to build a radiation therapy centre for cancer patients on the NSW Far South Coast, but some locals remain sceptical.
It's not the first time funding has been promised by a political party for the project.
Ahead of the 2019 federal election Health Minister Greg Hunt promised $63 million for radiation therapy services in regional Australia, including for the Eurobodalla and Bega communities.
Cancer recovery patient Nigel Wiggins lives in Bega on the Far South Coast and said while he was hopeful the service would be delivered locally, he had lost faith in political promises.
"How can we believe anybody?" he asked.
"For many people worse off than me, it's just an absolute nightmare."
Last year, the 75-year-old had renewed calls for the promised service to be delivered.
Despite that, plans to deliver the radiation centre have not been implemented.
Now, Federal Labor has pledged $8 million to deliver an oncology service, which it said would be located in the new level four Eurobodalla Hospital when it opens later this decade.
Current cancer patient Cathie Hurst lives in the Eurobodalla, where the oncology service is pledged to be delivered.
She said many locals would greatly benefit from having access to this service.
"There are lots of people out there like single mums or those with chronic health problems where travelling makes it really difficult," Ms Hurst said.
Service needed for growing population
According to NSW Labor leader Chris Minns, the service is desperately needed.
"It's [in] a region that covers 80,000 people," Mr Minns said.
However, the region's population has been deemed "insufficient" by the Southern Local Health District in the past, which is a key reason why the service hasn't been delivered.
In a statement to the ABC last May, the health district said it underwent a process in 2020 to determine whether the region needed a radiation therapy service.
A spokesperson for the health district has again reiterated these points in a statement to the ABC, adding that it will continue to monitor "the demand for all services and aligns service delivery with best practice guidelines, sustainability and service demand in mind."
However, Mr Minns believes the demand has grown locally since that assessment was undertaken.
"Many people have decided to move to regional towns and cities as opposed to living in metropolitan Sydney."
Mr Minns also promised that Labor, if elected to government, would work with the local health district to ensure the service was delivered.
