The first big election promise for the Barossa has been made.
The Liberal Party has released plans for a new $35million Barossa Hospital.
A 55-bed hospital with an emergency department, three operating theatres and a maternity ward, is proposed for Tanunda.
The Barossa Council has donated the Magnolia Road land - next to the Recreation Centre and Tanunda Primary School - for the development.
This could see future links between the hospital and the upgraded Aquatic and Leisure Centre for hydrotherapy, for example.
Isobel Redmond, the Liberal leader, was in Tanunda on Monday to make the announcement.
"The two existing hospitals in the Barossa region - the Angaston and Tanunda hospitals - are outdated and the facilities are no longer up to standard," Ms Redmond said.
"The Angaston Hospital was built in 1920 and hasn't received much attention since."
The Angaston Hospital would be demolished and the Tanunda Hospital converted to an aged-car facility by the Liberals.
A new Barossa hospital is not new to the party agenda.
It was first identified as a priority when they were last in Government, when they pledged to build a hospital at Nuriootpa.
A loss in the 2002 State Election meant the Liberals never got to follow through on their plans.
The renewed promise has scooped the Rann Government, which has not made any Barossa health commitments in this election campaign.
In fact, the government has not yet released a Barossa hospital 'business plan' that it allocated funds for in last year's budget.
Tony Vaughan, the presiding member of the Barossa and Districts Health Advisory Council, has written to the Herald to explain there has been a lack of consultation from both major parties.
Mr Vaughan said the Health Advisory Council was still waiting for Barossa Hospital news.
The current Angaston and Tanunda hospital facilities belong to the Barossa community and are held in trust by the Advisory Council.
"I would therefore think it appropriate when talking of selling the hospitals at Tanunda and Angaston to offset the cost of a new facility that the polite thing to do would be to talk to the current owners," Mr Vaughan said.
"It was disappointing to learn that the Leader of the Liberal Party and some of her party were in the Barossa recently to see the location of the new Health Facility but did not take the time to meet with the Health Advisory Council."
Mr Vaughan explained the Advisory Council remained committed to build a new hospital and said the Barossa deserved such a facility.
"The Liberal Government has announced it twice in the past and has done this again in the lead up to the 2010 election," he said.
"The Labor Government, in response to the Liberal Government announcement has declared there is no money to build a new Health Facility for the Barossa.
"This is news to the Advisory Council as we have been waiting on the progress to our latest business case application.
"At least we know now, we are wasting our time as volunteers again, very disappointing to learn about our business case proposal through the media."
Mr Vaughan said the community should be assured the Health Advisory Council would continue to advocate for a new hospital.
"The community should also be confident in the health care provided by the professionals that work in our outdated health facilities," he said.
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