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Metropolitan Health Service over the last nine years. Two, will you order an immediate audit of Sir Charles Gardner Hospital to identify what needs to be fixed to ensure patient and staff safety? And three, will you commit to providing the funding to fix the issues at Sir Charles Gardner Hospital?
Speaker, I thank the member for the question and Mr. Speaker, half a million Western Australians go through the doors at Sir Charles Garner Hospital every year to to receive worldclass health care. And quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, uh we all understand that the health infrastructure at S Charles Gardener Hospital is aging, which is the reason why we continue to make sure that we are making the investments to ensure that people continue. that invest that investment was around about $70 million to upgrade the uh the ED there to create a modern environment for the ED that includes an upgraded ED and waiting area.
Leader leader of the opposition, you've asked the question. Let the premier respond, please. A fasttrack area for low complexity patients, a pit stop area for rapid assessment and treatment, and improved ambulance triage facilities. But in addition to that, Mr. Speaker, we're also investing another $25 million to expand the ECU by another 10 by the addition of a 10 bed unit, which will increase the capacity at the ICU to what to around 40 beds. So, we continue to make the investments, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that Western Australians can have confidence confidence that when when they confidence that when they go to the hospital, they will receive world-class healthcare. And I want to acknowledge, Mr. Speaker, the great doctors and nurses and support staff that work in this facility, ensuring that they can members of the opposition, ensuring mad uh Mr. Speaker, that they would continue to receive worldclass healthcare and we know today, Mr. Speaker, there are more doctors and nurses on the front line than ever before. We have increased the health workforce by 30%. including a massive increase of 4,400 nurses, over 1,800 new doctors and expand the number of beds by 900. Mr. Speaker, that's the equivalent since 2021 of building a whole new Fiona Stanley Hospital, plus more. And Mr. Speaker, we have plans for another 900 beds as part of this year's roll out of our continued expansion and investment in our health care system. Mr. Speaker, I think Western Australians can have confidence in our healthare system. They they have confidence in our healthare system and we continue to have confidence in the doctors and nurses that provide that healthcare.
Supplementary question. Leader of the opposition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My supplementary to the premier. Premier, would you commit to cancelling the Berswood racrack project and directing those funds to fixing up Sir Charles Gardner Hospital?
Mr. Speaker, I'll commit to assuring Western Australians that they can have confidence in their health care system. Mr. Speaker, and I'll commit to holding the leader of the opposition to account when he puts the fear of God into Western Australians simply for accessing their healthare. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, the leader of the opposition should hold his head in shame today. Mr. Speaker, he has he has told Western Australians that they should be scared to go to their husband.
Leader of the opposition. Leader of the opposition. Mr. Speaker, this man is a risk to patients. He's a risk to patients lives. [Music] This man is a risk to patients lives. Mr. Speaker, his message today, his message today, Mr. Speaker, because we had we had the inflatable flailing arms tube man. Leader of the opposition flying around this morning, Mr. Speaker, flying around this morning saying, Premier, leader of the opposition, you are going to limit the chances of supplementary questions for your side if you continue carrying on the way you're carrying on. Carry on. He says don't go to hospital. Don't go to hospital. Scaring Western Australians. Scaring Western Australians because he sees a small gap of a political opportunity here. But Mr. Speaker, what we know what we know, Mr. Speaker, and the the the shadow treasurer was referencing a short moment ago about 2016. I remember 2016. 2015, 2016 is the only year on record in the last two decades when the number of doctors and nurses employed by our health care system actually went backwards. Mr. Speaker, the only time you've seen our health system actually contract families. The only time you've seen our health system actually contract, Mr. Speaker, was under a Liberal National government. And, Mr. Speaker, we have a $3.2 billion capital investment program to ensure we continue to expand our health system. More funding than ever before. More funding than ever before, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, do you know why that is? It's because we have a WA Labor government.
Thank you, Premier. Mr. The member for Coburn. Mr. Speaker, before I ask my question, on behalf of the member for Riverton, I would like to acknowledge the students from Parkwood Primary School here in your gallery today. Uh, Mr. Speaker, my question is to the premier. I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to diversifying Western Australia's economy and creating secure future focused local jobs. And I ask, can the premier outline to the House development of new and emerging industries? And can the premier explain?