MOUNT BARKER HOSPITAL

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen) (15:10): My question is to the Minister for Health. Why is the Mount Barker Hospital to be downgraded under the government's country health plan when it has to take additional patients from Gumeracha and Mount Pleasant and has the fastest-growing population in the state?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:11): I thank the member for her question, but I would like her to point out to me where in this document that is said.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: No; I did not say where the hospital is; I said where in the document is the claim that she makes? Just point out to me in the document where the claim that you made is, because it is not in there. In our plan, we have identified three hospitals in what we describe as peri-urban areas—I think most geographers would call them peri-urban—Mount Barker, Gawler and Victor Harbor. All of those areas are growth areas: the population in those districts is expanding, and we will have to put more services into those—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Each of those communities is expanding, and we will have to increase the level of service. In our country health plan we have noted that, and we have said that we will have to work on it as the population expands. They are each linked to a major metropolitan hospital, each of which is being developed at the moment. We want to make sure that our planning is appropriate to the growth of those communities. We will do a lot more work on those three, including Mount Barker.