Funding for the first stage of the Albany Hospital redevelopment, HomesWest crisis housing and support for the Albany Surf Life Saving Club’s rebuilding plans are high on the agenda.

“I never used to get much idea what was in the Budget when we were in goverment, so I’m not going to get anything now,” he said.

However, Mr Watson is hopeful the major issue of a lack of crisis accommodation in Albany might start to be sorted.

“This is a huge issue down here at the moment,” he said.

“I’m getting people coming in sleeping in their cars and asking what are we going to do about it.

“These are people who can’t afford to be in private accommodation. They can’t afford the rents because they are going up.”

Mr Watson said it was a real concern when up to 10 people had to sleep in the one house because there was nowhere for them to go.

“That’s a real concern, especially when there are children involved,” he said.

“It’s going to get worse. They’re talking about eight per cent unemployment and that will filter down to Albany.”

Mr Watson said a mens’ crisis centre especially was needed in Albany.

“There is just nowhere for men to go,” he said.

“At least there’s the women’s shelter, but that is under pressure.

“It’s a real concern if men are out of the house for whatever reason, there is nowhere for them to go. They can become dangerous.”

Mr Watson said he had been assured by the government the hospital would proceed, but he was concerned about it continuing with the cost at $135 million.

He said he believed extra costs could be supplemented by introducing more private enterprise to provide services such as physiotherapy and x-rays.

“I’m quite confident the hospital will be done, but we’ve got to keep the pressure on,” Mr Watson said.

“People keep saying to me ‘what’s happened to the hospital’.

“We’re nine months (since the government’s funding announcement) and we haven’t seen anything, haven’t seen any designs.”

He said the ring road had not been heard about for some time but he was loath to criticise the government as Labor didn’t have any funding in the forward estimates.

Instead it had been involved in buying up land and planning.

“We’re just hoping now the money can be put forward,” he said.

“Something needs to be done, get the final money and finish it off.”

Mr Watson said the government’s axing of the Better Beginnings early child literacy program at Albany Library was wrong and needed to be reinstated.