00:01This doctor wants to build a new 20-bed hospital in Launceston for private and public patients.
00:09Launceston private hospital there.
00:11Ahead of the 2024 state election, the Liberals promised to pay for half of it.
00:17We'll make a direct $35 million investment into the asset, the physical bricks and mortar of a new hospital here
00:23in Launceston.
00:24But Dr Muir Wilson says 18 months after that promise was made, the Department of State Growth told him about
00:31a condition that may tank the project.
00:34To get the $35 million government investment, Dr Muir Wilson and his business partner will have to make a matching
00:41financial contribution.
00:43He says they'll have to borrow this money and we're planning on using the hospital itself, which will be jointly
00:49owned between them and the government, as security for the loan.
00:53But the Department of State Growth has advised he cannot use what would be the state's jointly owned property to
01:00guarantee the loan.
01:02Dr Muir Wilson says he and his business partner have no other assets of sufficient value to use as security.
01:10We can't see a path forward with the current conditions they've placed on it.
01:14Tasmania's health minister says the government has a range of legal and financial obligations to satisfy.
01:20We remain committed to continuing to work with the proponents of the Launceston Health Hub around these issues.
01:29Other doctors say the delay is concerning as the region desperately needs new health facilities.
01:35I think it's fair and reasonable that we ask hard questions as to why it's stalled and is the government
01:41putting unreasonable requests on the private provider.
01:44Dr Lamston Steele says the government should resolve the issue quickly.
01:49The longer you delay it, the more it costs and there's a real risk that this project may actually not
01:54get off the ground.
01:54We're not afraid we don't have long enough of things that are expected to justify.
01:59And here's different words on this.
02:00It's social media, a private sector, button, requires reasons for the service as well.
02:01You
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