Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes today slammed the State Government over their secrecy surrounding the reopening of the maternity ward at Mona Vale Hospital.

In a Notice of Motion delivered in State Parliament, Rob Stokes demanded the State Government come clean on the exact reasons for the delay in reopening the maternity ward and the precise date on which maternity services will resume.

“It’s ridiculous that our community has to beg the State Government for information which should be freely available”, Rob Stokes said today.

“The maternity ward renovations aren’t a secret government project - so there shouldn’t be any smoke and mirrors involved.

“With rumours circulating as to why the ward’s reopening has been delayed  - now’s the time for the State Government to come clean and tell our community exactly what’s going on.

“It’s absurd for the government to expect pregnant mothers, midwives and obstetricians to wait around in limbo why they try to come up with excuses for the delay.

“If the State Government put as many resources into completing the renovations as it does into coming up with excuses - the project would have been finished months ago.

“Our community can accept that there has been a delay, but what’s not acceptable is the secrecy surrounding the project.

“All our community wants is a proper explanation of the delay and a revised date on when maternity services will be returning – surely that’s not too much to ask?

“It’s time for the State Government to come clean with our community and tell us exactly what’s going on with the maternity ward at Mona Vale Hospital”, Rob Stokes concluded.