New Blood Processing Centre Opens in Melbourne

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30 April 2012

Security of the national blood supply will be boosted by a new, $213 million, world–class processing facility based in Melbourne.

Opening the new centre today, the Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, said it was the largest such facility in Australia.

“This is a major enhancement to the nation’s health infrastructure as it will manufacture about 30 per cent of Australia’s national fresh blood supply,” Ms King said.

“This year, more than 600,000 Australians will give about 1.4 million blood donations.

“We need to ensure that their generosity is processed in the most efficient way possible to ensure safe, high quality products for all Australians.”

Ms King said the centre replaced an older facility that was no longer fit for purpose.

The Australian Government is contributing more than half of the cost of the new facility and its future running costs, with the remainder funded by the state governments.

The Australian Government contribution is through its $5 billion Health and Hospital Fund established in 2009 as part of its broader nation-building infrastructure program.

The Australian Red Cross Blood Service will operate the new Melbourne centre under a funding agreement with the National Blood Authority.

Ms King said the facility would undertake all Victorian and Tasmanian testing, processing and distribution.

“It contains the latest laboratory facilities and specialised equipment to ensure the safety and quality of all fresh blood products,” she said.

“It is modular, flexible, expandable and can be scaled to meet blood service requirements for the next 20 to 30 years.”

“I applaud the fact that construction and fit-out of this important new health infrastructure project was completed on time and on budget,” Ms King said.

She said the facility was the latest addition to national health infrastructure with similar blood processing facilities already in place in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

“The centres are a good example of collaboration between the Australian and state and territory governments and the private sector” she said.

“All governments are committed to ensuring secure supply of fresh blood components for the clinical needs of Australian patients.”

“The Government sees building health infrastructure as a corner-stone to providing Australians with a high-quality health care system that will meet the needs of future generations” Ms King said.

For more information, contact the Parliamentary Secretary's Office on (02) 6277 4230