Petition to:
The Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care; Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme

 
Why this petition matters:

• The people of Shellharbour and the wider Illawarra region deserve access to safe, local birthing services. Despite plans for extensive new facilities at the New Shellharbour Hospital, a maternity unit will not be included. According to the hospital’s project page, maternity services will cover pre- and post-natal care, but birthing will remain restricted to Wollongong Hospital due to staffing and specialist requirements.

This decision is unacceptable and short-sighted.

• Population growth: Shellharbour Council projects more than 110,000 residents by 2040, putting further strain on existing hospital services. It is unreasonable to deny women and local families access to a birthing unit in a growing and vibrant community.
• Equity in health care: Excluding a maternity ward places disproportionate barriers on women—particularly those juggling travel, financial stress, and childcare responsibilities. Denying half the population access to local birthing services is inherently inequitable and undermines gender-responsive health planning.
• Closing the Gap: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, who already experience greater health disparities, will be negatively affected. Safe and culturally appropriate maternity care close to community is essential. Current “Closing the Gap” data show no improvements for NSW in maternal and child health outcomes—this decision risks worsening that divide.
• Community wellbeing: Maternal health is a cornerstone of broader family and community health outcomes. To outsource birthing to Wollongong Hospital— already stretched in resources—is not a solution, but an unnecessary risk.
  
   
  What we are asking for:

We call on Minister Mark Butler MP, together with Ms Pippa Rendel (Acting Executive Director, Strategy, Risk, Planning and Performance, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District), to urgently:

• Revise the current hospital plan to include a fully resourced birthing unit at the New Shellharbour Hospital.
• Provide additional funding if necessary to ensure safe, high-quality birthing services can be established locally.
• Consult transparently with the community, especially women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families, to address their needs in line with Closing the Gap commitments.
  
  In summary:
  Shellharbour is one of the fastest-growing populations in regional NSW, and families here should not have to travel outside their community for something as fundamental and life-changing as childbirth. Maternal health is not a luxury; it is a right. Including a birthing unit in the New Shellharbour Hospital is a critical step to secure a safe, healthy future for all families in our region.

Please sign this petition to demand the government take immediate action.