00:02Opening the door to better maternity services.
00:05This $10 million announcement will make an important difference.
00:10The cash injection coming more than a year after Darwin Private Hospital's maternity ward closed,
00:16leading to hundreds of extra births and a tired RDH.
00:20Some women labouring in rundown rooms with broken air conditioning and bathroom doors that don't close.
00:27Families and women in particular have been really loud and vocal about that
00:33and I think finally the government has listened.
00:36The money going to birthing suite upgrades improved maternity wards and newborn services.
00:42It will allow us to make sure that birthing suites have all of the facilities that women need.
00:47The NT government initially asked the Commonwealth for $35 million last year but was knocked back.
00:54The Territory's revised proposal for $10 million was put forward earlier this year.
00:59The Prime Minister not providing a reason today for the delay in approving the funds.
01:05Why the delay? We're here for an announcement.
01:07It's a very strange question. We're here for an announcement.
01:10The PM also quay on whether he'd consider funding a new hospital in Darwin.
01:16I'm here to announce $10 million for maternity services is why I'm here.
01:21We need a new hospital. That is what we need.
01:24With a price tag in the billions, the people of Darwin could be waiting a little while yet.
01:30Which means 200 seconds.
01:35You
