Sussan Ley suggests NSW build its own hospital as Albury-Wodonga master plan FOI request denied

Albury Wodonga Health revealed plans to redevelop its hospital to a single-site operation in April 2021. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Mikaela Ortolan)

The Deputy Opposition Leader has suggested New South Wales separate from Victoria's healthcare system in Albury and build its own hospital amid frustration over redevelopment delays.

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley said she was outraged by the lack of transparency from the Victorian government after it denied her freedom of information request to access the master plan.

"It shouldn't come to this — we shouldn't have to fight this hard," she said.

The Victorian government promised the documents would be released by November last year, but the federal and NSW governments still have not seen the plans.

Ms Ley said her request was denied because it was "in draft form".

Member for Farrer Sussan Ley lodged an FOI with the Victorian Department of Health in April. (ABC News)

All levels of government are waiting for the document, which would outline the hospital design, construction costs and a way forward before making any sort of financial commitment towards the project.

Ms Ley said things had reached the point where NSW should consider going its own way.

"For patients, it's just about a good health service — the design is probably secondary," she said.

"It's about having a health service that you can attend and get really good treatment.

"Maybe we go back to two sides of the border.

"We need to consider stepping back from the model itself and I say that with reluctance, because I was here at the beginning [before the merger]."

Community members and clinicians held a rally last month to campaign for a new hospital. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Erin Somerville)

Invitation to new Minister

Across the border, the federal Indi MP Helen Haines has written to new federal Health Minister Mark Butler inviting him to the region to gain a better understanding of the challenges residents face.

"We're about to see a 30 per cent increase in population in the next 15 years and what we have is infrastructure that simply can't keep up with demand," Dr Haines said.

She said a world-class, single-site hospital like the one proposed would cost about $1.2 billion.

In a statement, a Victorian government spokesperson said there had been "no delay" in producing the master plan but it was important to take the time to get it right.

"We have a strong record of investing in our regional health services, including at Albury Wodonga Health, where in partnership with NSW we are delivering an upgraded emergency department and short-stay unit," the statement read.

It did not respond to direct questions as to why the FOI was denied.