So was the release this week of detailed plans for the next stage of the redevelopment of the Warrnambool Base Hospital without confirmed funding an example of good politics or bad?

With the state election later this year, it seems barely believable funding for the redevelopment was not locked into the recent state budget. 

So how and why did we get here?

Looking closely at the political landscape for the region may provide part of the answer.

The region’s lower house seat of South-West Coast is held by Roma Britnell and although the name and size of the seat itself has changed over time, it has been steadfastly Liberal since the 1960s. 

Mrs Britnell was elected in a 2015 by-election where she attracted 40 per cent of the primary vote and 60 per cent on a two-party preferred basis.

Labor did not field a candidate in that election, evidentially deciding it would waste resources campaigning in a seat it was very unlikely to win.

So the current Labor government has little political reason to fund projects for the south-west given the size of its task to turn the lower house seat from blue (Liberal) to red (Labor).

The region also has five upper house (two Labor, two Coalition and one micro party) members with a vastly more fluid history and a proportional voting system introduced in 2010 that basically makes it easier for independents or micro/single-issue party candidates to be elected.

So the micro party Member for Western Victoria James Purcell was always going to have an opportunity to align with the state government on crucial upper house votes and, in return, be favoured with announcements, responsibility and influence.

As chair of the South West Healthcare Community Advisory Committee, charged with planning the hospital’s redevelopment, Mr Purcell had a unique opportunity to be seen by voters as leading and delivering the massive project. Right now we have grand plans but no money.

Time will tell if the state government has the funds stashed in a hollow election log somewhere and will announce it before November’s election date. 

Timing is, therefore, clearly a word occupying the mind of Mr Purcell and the region’s other politicians.