By Melissa Blewitt

State Member for Murray Helen Dalton has put forth a motion to split the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) into two organisations.
The proposed new Western Riverina Health District would incorporate Lake Cargelligo. Ms Dalton’s proposal would cover 13 towns including Deniliquin, Jerilderie, Berrigan, Finley, Leeton, Griffith, Hay, Hillston, Lake Cargelligo, Balranald, Barham, Moulamein and Tocumwal.
Ms Dalton put forth her Notice of Motion to introduce the Health Services Amendment Splitting of the Murrumbidgee Local Health District Bill 2025 on the floor of NSW Parliament on 13 February. It is believed the finer details of the bill will be presented to State Parliament in the coming weeks.
“For too long, MLHD has failed our communities- and has not followed through on a number of issues such as the two orthopaedic surgeons that were promised in 2021. Yet four years later we still have none,” she said on www.helendalton.com.au
“By bringing healthcare decisions closer to home, we can work toward proper staffing, improved services, and better outcomes for Western Riverina residents. A local health focus will save local lives.
“I’ll be speaking with NSW Health Minister Ryan Park urgently on this. It’s time for real change.”
In response to the proposed bill to split its district, MLHD released a statement emphasising that the move would have dire consequences.
“Splitting MLHD would have a detrimental impact on existing healthcare pathways and would see more patients needing to travel further from their homes to access appropriate care,” the statement read.
In response, Ms Dalton has disputed claims made in the MLHD’s statement.
“The statement by MLHD that splitting the district into two “Would see more patients needing to travel further from their homes to access appropriate care”, implying that the Government is going to downgrade Wagga Wagga Base Hospital from a regional hub – Regional referral Hospital, is completely false and is purely scaremongering” she wrote on a post on the Helen Dalton MP Facebook Page (Tuesday, 18 February).
“The truth is, the establishment of the Western Riverina Health District would enhance healthcare services by upgrades to Griffith Base Hospital like 24/7 emergency Orthopaedic surgery, Mental Health etc. with a better locally managed budget and necessary recruitment.
“Obvious improvements that would significantly reduce the need for patient transfers to the already busy Wagga Wagga referral hospital, leading to better health outcomes for the entire community.
“This reorganisation would significantly decrease travel distances for residents of WRHD towns by a combined total of 1,181 kilometres, ensuring that patients can receive appropriate care closer to home.”
Member for Barwon Roy Butler has also moved that New England Local Health District be split from the Hunter Local Health District. He made his Notion of Motion on the floor of State Parliament on 13 February.
In his newsletter (dated 17 February), Mr Butler said, “My colleague Helen Dalton, Member for Murray, has also introduced a bill to split the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, which will affect Lake Cargelligo in my electorate. I will give my support to her bill if it means that regional areas will receive better outcomes for health.”