Victorian Premier’s Promise to Rename Hospital After Queen Elizabeth II Sparks Criticism

Daniel Andrews, Victorian Premier at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Sept. 1, 2022. (Martin Ollman/Getty Images)

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has raised controversy after he promised to rebuild and rename a Melbourne hospital in honour of Queen Elizabeth II ahead of the state election in November.

In his bid for a third term, the premier said if he were re-elected, his government would spend up to $1.05 billion (US$700 million) to redevelop and expand the capacity of the Maroondah Hospital in Ringwood East.

“The new Queen Elizabeth II Hospital will rebuild and refurbish the Maroondah Hospital from the ground up,” Andrews said on Sept. 18.

The Labor government said the redevelopment would include a new emergency department, operating theatres, day-procedure facilities, specialist care spaces and two six-storey inpatient towers with 200 extra beds, enabling the hospital to serve an additional 9,000 inpatients per year.

It also mentioned that construction would commence in 2025 and generate about 2,500 jobs.

While providing details of the redevelopment plan, the premier did not elaborate on how his government would fund the project.

In its re-election pitch in 2018, the Labor government promised to expand the emergency department for children. However, four years later, the project is still in the planning stages and has not commenced construction.

An external view of the Royal Children Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 26, 2015. (Luis Ascui/Getty Images)

Criticism Toward Premier’s Announcement

Speaking about the name change, Andrews said it was “a mark of respect to her unwavering commitment to healthcare and our community.”

“The Queen was a longstanding supporter of Victoria’s healthcare system,” he said.

“As the patron of the Royal Melbourne and the Royal Children’s hospitals, she demonstrated her devotion to patients and their care whenever she visited their bedsides.”

The term “Maroondah” means “throwing leaves” in the Aboriginal language, the Maroondah Council website states.

Meanwhile, there are already hospitals in Brisbane and Adelaide, and a medical centre in Perth named in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Andrews’ hospital renaming move has attracted objection from many community members, with a growing online petition calling on the premier to reconsider his decision and consult with First Nations groups and community leaders.

The announcement came one day after Victoria’s Opposition pledged to provide a $400 million upgrade package to the Maroondah Hospital should it win the upcoming election.

After hearing the news, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy criticised the Andrews government and said he did not believe it would keep its promise.

“If he really wanted to put $1 billion into Maroondah Hospital, he’s had eight years to do it. He’s been here a long time,” Guy told reporters.

“I bet if he’s elected, he'll never build it.”

Additionally, among the promises made by the Opposition was $108 million in funding for a new clinical medical research centre at Box Hill Hospital, which is part of the Eastern Health network.

Previously, the Opposition said it would cancel part of the Suburban Rail Loop project and redirect $35 billion into the health system.