Coalition matches ALP's NT hospital offer THE coalition has matched federal Labor's commitment of $110 million to fund a much-needed hospital at Palmerston outside of Darwin. On Thursday, federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said that if re-elected the government would increase its previous offer of $70 million, with $40 million to come from NT coffers, and said that it would fund the entire amount. On Friday, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott met with Chief Minister Adam Giles and committed to $110 million in federal funds. The NT had already earmarked $40 million as part of the original deal, made with the previous Labor Territory government. "The NT government has identified a more appropriate site that will host a bigger, better hospital as part of a health precinct, meeting the needs of this growing region over the next 50 years," Mr Giles said in a statement on Friday. The Country Liberals have quarantined up to 45 hectares of government-owned land for the hospital and health precinct on the Stuart Highway. Mr Giles said the previous site earmarked by Labor is just three hectares, with no room for expansion. "If Labor's Mickey Mouse hospital model had gone ahead, the residents of Palmerston would be forced to tolerate a second-class hospital for decades into the future," he said. NT Health Minister Robyn Lambley said the government was open to developing public-private partnerships to deliver health services to the people of Palmerston, which is one of the fastest-growing areas of the country. Based on current modelling, the greater Darwin region will require an additional 114 overnight hospital beds and 123 same day beds by 2015-16, Ms Lambley said.