Hospitals at Risk as Australian Health Workers Demand Energy Security | Healthy Futures

National Media Release | March 2025
EMBARGOED: 6 AM Friday, 21 March 2025

Hospitals at Risk as Australian Health Workers Demand Energy Security

Hospitals across Australia are facing increasing risk around security of their energy supply as climate driven disasters threaten critical healthcare infrastructure. The All-Electric Healthy Hospitals Campaign — a coalition of over 100,000 health workers — is calling for urgent federal investment in reliable, affordable hospital energy.

Now joined by nine hospitals across metro, regional, rural and remote Australia, the coalition is calling for $1.5 million in the Federal Budget for a feasibility study into climate-resilient energy systems to keep hospitals running during emergencies.

The first step, the campaign says, should be identifying how hospitals can transition to reliable, renewable energy without disrupting patient care.

Healthy Hospitals campaigner Ursula Alquier says recent events show the urgency, with Cyclone Alfred cutting power to Gold Coast University Hospital and compromising critical services. “For over a year, we’ve been speaking with hospitals from across the country, and many have told us they’re struggling with aging infrastructure, rising fuel costs and backup power systems that are unreliable in a crisis.

“Hospitals can’t afford to gamble with power failures. That’s why these hospitals see the benefits of going all-electric, to ensure they have reliable, resilient energy when they need it most. Feasibility studies will lay the groundwork for this transition, identifying the best solutions for different hospital types so they can keep the lights on and continue delivering care in an emergency.”

“The 2025/2026 budget is a defining moment. Will the government invest in hospitals’ energy resilience to ensure they can withstand disasters — or will it leave them vulnerable to the next blackout?”

Lauren Kite, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Broome Health Campus — one of the nine sites recommended in the feasibility study — said: “Diesel generators keep our hospital running when power disruptions happen, but they’re expensive, polluting and not a sustainable long-term option. The cost of fuel alone takes resources away from patient care. Investing in renewable energy and battery storage would provide a reliable and cost-effective solution for hospitals like ours.”

Caz Heise, Registered Nurse & Independent Candidate for Cowper said: “Hospitals must be at the forefront of the transition to clean, resilient energy.”

“They can play a critical role in reducing climate pollution, improving energy security and community safety in the face of more severe natural disasters. By funding feasibility studies, the government can lay the groundwork for a hospital system that is prepared for the future.”