Opposition leader Luke Foley said the new policy would provide “permanent” ratios of nurses to patients in medical and surgical wards to ensure that regional communities aren’t left behind.

“I’ve met with nurses right around the state and I’ve heard their plea; what Labor stands for is properly staffing our hospitals,” he said. 

“We rely on our nurses right around the clock, frankly our regional nurses are understaffed, nurses are working massively over-time, they’re fatigued and resigning because they’re burnt out.” 

While Mr Foley could not provide the number of nurses currently at Wagga Base Hospital, he was joined by registered nurse for over 20 years, Sylvia Moon, who estimated about 600 nurses are employed. 

“I was told on Tuesday, a nurse at Wagga hospital had done 52 hours in one week, affecting her mental and physical health,” Ms Moon said. 

“While we have this beautiful hospital, the people who run this hospital are nurses and we’re disadvantaged as we’re over capacity.” 

Mr Foley said Labor was committed to the stage three component of the Wagga Base Hospital, promising the community that money will not be wasted.

“Schools and hospitals before stadiums, we won’t splurge $2.5 billion on stadiums in Sydney when there’s record waiting lists at regional hospitals,” he said. 

“Two-thousand-five-hundred people are on the surgery list at the Wagga Base Hospital; increasing the nurse to patient ratios, of one nurse to three patients in the emergency departments, one-to-four in surgical and medical wards and one-to-seven at night.” 

Labor’s candidate for Wagga, Dan Hayes, argued that Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s visit on August 1 brought “nothing”. 

“We had the Premier here yesterday bringing nothing and we’re going to actually listen to the nurses and those providing health to our community who need to be supported and additional nurses so that they can provide better health care,” Mr Hayes said. 

“Earlier this year we had Mr Maguire call nurses ‘liars’, lying that they need more support; Labor isn’t calling them liars we are supporting them and acting upon this.

“This policy will give nurses the resources they need to continue their work – caring for the sick and most vulnerable in our community.” 

However, Health Minister Brad Hazzard is not convinced and urged the Wagga community not to trust Labor’s promises. 

“Whether it was repeated empty promises for the redevelopment of Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, or a seemingly endless surgery waiting list, Labor neglected this region for 16 years," Mr Hazzard said. 

"In addition to delivering over $430 million to redevelop WWBH, the Liberals and Nationals have boosted staffing numbers. 

“Between 2012 and 2018, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District has received funding for an additional 374 staff, including 31 more doctors and 222 more nurses.”

Mr Foley followed suit and announced he was also disappointed regarding Ms Berejiklian’s visit on Wednesday. 

“She came with nothing and left with nothing, the least she could have done would have been to leave town with the resignation letter of Daryl Maguire in her back pocket,” he said. 

“I will personally move to expel him in Parliament as soon as it commences next Tuesday. 

“It’s very disappointing he hasn’t resigned yet and that the Premier hasn’t forced him out.” 

On Ms Berejiklian’s visit on Wednesday, she spoke to The Daily Advertiser of her concern regarding the state’s ice epidemic and Wagga’s reputation as an “ice capital”.

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Mr Foley stated that this issue under a Labor government would see six new rehabilitation and detoxification clinics, with four of those to be situated in regional NSW. 

“I suspect Wagga would be a very good location for one of our big new ice rehabilitation and detoxification clinics,” he said. 

“Ice is doing untold damage to the fabric of many country towns and I outlined this in my budget six weeks ago, to deliver six new ice clinics for ice addict referrals, with specialist nurses and security staff. 

“I’m not prepared to stand by and allow the grip of ice to stick onto our country communities and that's why this is a very big commitment under a future Labor government.”