INDEPENDENT Member for Tamworth, Peter Draper, writes on this page today that he is happy to accept NSW Government assurances it remains committed to the renewal of the Tamworth Hospital.

He remains confident physical work on the project will commence within the life of the current Parliament or, more specifically, over the next two-and-a-half years.

This is despite the fact the same government’s 10-year infrastructure plan released last week, while Mr Draper was out of the country, indicates the only activity planned on this project for the next four years is planning.

The infrastructure plan, which to our knowledge Mr Draper is yet to publicly comment on despite our having contacted his office on the matter last week, also notes the Tamworth hospital renewal has not yet been approved by the State Government.

Given the Government has failed to respond in any meaningful way to the recommendations of the Regional Taskforce – despite earlier undertakings – in either the budget or the infrastructure plan, we do not have as much faith in its undertakings as Mr Draper.

Our fear, given the Iemma regime is in more trouble than an early settler and at this point would seem only an outside chance to win the 2011 election, is that Tamworth’s new hospital is not uppermost on the Premier’s mind.

Yes, we keep hearing verbal assurances, but the only written references to the project actually contradict what we are being told.

That is why this paper is pushing so hard for a concrete statement from the Government on what it expects the hospital to cost, when work is likely to begin and when it is likely to finish.

It would be unfortunate if in several years’ time we are told that because of cost blowouts and the failure of the electricity asset sell-off to proceed that the project has been deferred indefinitely.

Machiavelli once wrote it was unwise to put your faith in the words of kings and princes.

We concur with the view.