The Goulburn Urgent Care Service closed earlier this year after being open for less than 12 months. Photo: Region.
A renewed push to restore healthcare services to a Southern Tabelands town has heard accusations of “stonewalling” and lost funding.
The Goulburn Urgent Care Service opened in August 2024 and was staffed by GPs and nurses. It closed on 30 June, after being open for just 10 months.
This type of clinic is designed to reduce pressure on emergency departments, meaning people with non-emergency illnesses and injuries don’t head to an emergency department for treatment.
At Goulburn Mulwaree Council’s (GMC) recent July meeting, Deputy Mayor Caitlin Flint pushed for answers.
“This motion seeks to understand why residents of Goulburn Mulwaree are now without a critical healthcare service and why the future operation of such a service was pledged but not delivered by the current government,” she wrote in a motion put to GMC.
In her motion, Cr Flint writes that the “community is now left wondering why” the clinic was closed. Photo: John Thistleton.
Her motion called on the council to write to NSW Health Minister Ryan Park and Federal Health Minister Mark Butler with a request for more information about the clinic’s closure.
It also sought an update on funding and a potential re-establishment of the service.
Speaking during the meeting, she said the clinic “only ever received glowing reviews” and the “impact [of the closure was] unquantifiable”.
“There was much community conjecture about this and lobbying that immediately occurred … both the Labor and Liberal candidates for Eden-Monaro pledged to keep the facility open, if elected.”
She said the 2025/26 state budget showed there was “no budget provision” for the service, and little notice was given to Goulburn residents of the closure.
Councillor Jason Shepherd pushed back against funding concerns, saying the operator’s “staff constraints” were the reason why the clinic closed.
“There’s been a lot of rumour mongering about this, that the funding is being withdrawn. [Before the meeting] I received a notification from local state representatives that the funding is still in place,” he said.
“They are talking to other providers to get this thing done.”
The clinic was co-located within Marima Medical Clinic and was delivered in partnership with the COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network.
A COORDINARE spokesperson said the closure was because of “contract arrangements”.
“The decision to cease operations at the end of the contract was made due to ongoing workforce and operational challenges, alongside broader system factors,” they told Region.
“Despite best efforts by staff at Marima Medical Clinic, it was no longer feasible to continue delivering urgent care services at the clinic in a way that met the standards of safety, sustainability, and compliance for the community.”
In a statement, a NSW Government spokesperson said funding was still “available” for the clinic.
“The NSW Government provided $100 million to continue urgent care services across NSW to 30 June 2027,” they said.
“The NSW Government remains committed to working to provide access to urgent care services across the state including in Goulburn.”
All Goulburn councillors, except Cr McKeon, voted in support of the motion.
The motion passed unchanged after Cr Flint rejected a proposal from Councillor Liz McKeon, who sought to amend it to include a meeting request with Goulburn’s state and federal members.
Cr Flint said she was “absolutely not [happy]” with the proposed inclusion, alleging “stonewalling” of Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman.
“We need to go straight to the people that have the portfolios, that can actually make the decisions and give us the correct answers,” she said.
A response from state and federal health ministers will be provided to GMC at a later date.
Marima Medical Clinic remains open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Friday and from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. For a medical emergency, people should call triple zero or attend the emergency department at Goulburn Base Hospital.
