Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader has issued a blunt warning to the NSW Government: secure a site for a new Ballina hospital now – before it’s too late..

Her call comes amid fresh concerns about the region’s overloaded health system, including the revelation that the Ballina Hospital Ladies Auxiliary has raised nearly $200,000 to buy what she describes as “basic equipment that city hospitals would take for granted.”

“They’ve paid for items like a bed mover, wheelchairs and an ice machine.  All sorts of equipment that really should be standard,” the Mayor said.

“The fact a group of mostly elderly women are working this hard to fill the gaps is both inspiring and deeply concerning.”

Cr Cadwallader said the Auxiliary’s dedication speaks volumes.

“They’re hardworking, they’re passionate, and they’ve stepped up for our community in an incredible way.

“But the question is – what happens when they’re gone?

“You can’t run a modern hospital on bake sales forever.”

System under pressure

With Ballina’s population growing fast and public health services already stretched thin, the Mayor says the current hospital is no longer fit for purpose.

She’s been lobbying the NSW Health Minister, Ryan Park, to act urgently to secure a flood-safe greenfield site for a new hospital – before land earmarked for health use is lost to residential development.

“The current hospital can’t be expanded due to flood risk and the Government has acknowledged that,” she said.

“So let’s stop stalling. Secure the land now before it’s gone.”

Cr Cadwallader said she’s raised the issue multiple times with the Minister’s office, but has seen little concrete action in return.

“Even small things, like getting approval for a Bunsen burner can be difficult.

“It shows how outdated and inflexible things have become.”

Ambulance ramping, closed beds, and missed opportunities

The Mayor also pointed to broader signs of strain across the region’s healthcare system.

She noted a recent instance where 24 ambulances were forced to wait outside Lismore Base Hospital due to a lack of capacity.

“That kind of ramping is happening too often, and Ballina is feeling the knock-on effect,” she said.

She also criticised the State Government for past failures to follow through on funding commitments.

More than $80 million was allocated over a decade ago for hospital upgrades in the region, but only $7 million was spent on new ED beds in Ballina -and they remain unused and unstaffed to this day.

“That was seven years ago and the beds are still empty,” she said.

Politics over need?

Cr Cadwallader didn’t hold back when asked why Ballina missed out on a new hospital when Byron Bay received one instead.

“Ballina was overlooked for political reasons and people know it,” she said.

“Byron leapfrogged us, despite the fact that Ballina’s need was greater.”

With new urgent care clinics now drawing doctors away from local GP practices, and bulk billing services increasingly hard to find, the Mayor said the broader system is at breaking point.

“This isn’t just about buildings. It’s about whether people in Ballina can get care when they need it,” Cr Cadwallader said.

“We need long-term investment, not band-aid fixes.”