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TCM Hospital in Goulburn!

A delegation of Chinese government officials have visited Goulburn to look at the viability of opening a $220 million Traditional Chinese Medicine training facility in the city.

Goulburn Mayor Geoff Kettle says the development company that purchased the old Kenmore Hospital several years ago, is headed by a Chinese-Australian investor who believes the site has potential.

Councillor Kettle says after visiting the city, the delegation will also meet with Australian government representatives in Canberra.

He says the proposal includes a plan to develop associated healthcare facilities and to produce organically grown Chinese herbs and plants.

"It's a project that may have many, many arms and the other thing is that it's not a closed shop for Chinese students," he said.

"The company has made me well aware that this will be open also to local and other Australian students who might want to broaden their horizons into the style of medicine."

Councillor Kettle believes the city is in an ideal location to host the centre.

"I have also been working with the Chinese Embassy in Canberra and along with a couple of Chinese operators in Sydney, that bring delegations in all the time," he said.

"A lot of these delegations come in at Sydney and they want to go to Canberra and we're in the middle.

"A lot of them are now stopping in Goulburn and learning about regional New South Wales and regional Australia in Goulburn."

There is hope the proposed training centre will pave the way for more foreign investment around the city.

Councillor Kettle admits although the proposals still in its early stages, it could be the catalyst for more development locally.

"We're very well aware of the emerging Chinese nation and indeed the sub-continent," he said.
"They are going ahead in leaps and bounds and we should be working in co-operation with them and we should have our eyes and minds open to encourage appropriate investment, from those countries."

Labor Senator Ursula Stephens met with the delegation and says it is an exciting opportunity for Goulburn.

"We see that there are big opportunities to grow the whole culture of using Chinese medicine here in Australia in a way that would really benefit the whole population," she said.

Senator Stephens says it would help bring hundreds of people to the area.

"If we had something like the size of the Guandong Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital here in Australia, located in Goulburn that would just be a world-beater, it would be fantastic," she said.

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-15/gx-chinese-medicine/4819758

First posted Mon Jul 15, 2013 7:40am AEST