The NSW opposition Coalition, with support from the Greens in the New South Wales Parliament, forced through a parliamentary inquiry into Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, where dangerous mould in air-conditioning ducts and maggots falling from ceiling vents in two wards sparked controversy over the hospital’s management and public–private partnership arrangement.

In early February 2026, the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle, New South Wales, was formally made the subject of a New South Wales Parliamentary inquiry after opposition parties in the state parliament successfully pushed the motion through with the support of the Greens, despite objections from the Labor government. The inquiry was triggered by a series of alarming incidents at the hospital where two wards had to be closed in January because of dangerous mould in air-conditioning ducts and maggots falling from ceiling vents onto patients, sparking widespread concern about patient safety and facility management. 

The inquiry will examine the management, maintenance and operational issues at the hospital, including the causes and responses to mould contamination, water damage and pest infestations, as well as the effectiveness of the public–private partnership (PPP) model under which the facility is operated by a consortium involving Calvary Health and NSW Health. Greens health spokeswoman Dr Amanda Cohn, who is involved in the inquiry, said the parliamentary committee could help unpack what went wrong and make recommendations for improved oversight, while critics have pointed to systemic failures in the PPP arrangement as a contributing factor to the ongoing problems.