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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Lucy Bladen

'Went so well': Why Labor thinks Calvary takeover didn't feature in campaign

The ACT's Health Minister said the takeover of the Calvary Public Hospital Bruce has not been a strong feature in the campaign because the transition was a success.

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said her party still had some concerns about the process but the acquisition had been completed.

The territory government compulsorily acquired the hospital from Catholic organisation Calvary Health Care in mid-2023.

The takeover prompted outrage from the Catholic church and both the territory and federal opposition.

Then-acting opposition leader Jeremy Hanson said he was "absolutely appalled" and at one point urged the federal government to intervene.

The hospital's takeover has barely featured in the campaign but Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith did point to the compulsory acquisition on Friday in her party's last pitch to voters.

"We've demonstrated that we're willing to take the decisions that are necessary to deliver health infrastructure and health services in the interests of Canberrans," she said.

The government has said the reason for the takeover was so the territory could own, operate and build a new hospital on the Bruce campus. A $1 billion hospital is planned for the site.

ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith and North Canberra Hospital. Pictures by Sitthixay Ditthavong, Keegan Carroll

Ms Stephen-Smith said the reason it had not been a strong feature in the campaign, despite being a massive issue at the time, was because the transition had been successful.

"The reason it has not been a significant issue during this campaign is because the transition went so well. It reflects the experience of the Barr Labor government that we understood that we needed to make this decision, which was very difficult, to ensure that our new, more than $1 billion hospital could be owned by taxpayers," she said.

"If you talk to patients and carers who were at Calvary Public Hospital as it transitioned to Canberra Health Services as North Canberra Hospital, they have barely noticed the change."

Ms Stephen-Smith said the Liberals had chosen to not focus on the acquisition because they realised most Canberrans had supported this.

When asked about this Ms Lee said the issues Canberrans were concerned about were cost of living, housing, health, education community safety and suburb maintenance.

But she said the party still had concerns about the process.

"In terms of the Calvary Hospital takeover that obviously has been done, there are people who are incredibly concerned at the process in which it was done," Ms Lee said.

"We remain concerned about the process but in terms of that transaction that has now been completed."

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