COUNTRY HEALTH CARE PLAN

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): In light of the minister's answer on behalf of the Minister for Water Security about what she thinks, does the 'quite a bit of support around' that he mentioned include her support for him and his Country Health Care Plan? Has she said to you that she supports it, or not?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:33): The member for Chaffey—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The member for Chaffey, as a member of cabinet, of course supports the Country Health Care Plan that was put out for consultation. She supported it going out for consultation. I know she is particularly supportive of the $41 million that we are spending at the Berri Hospital and, regardless of the outcome of the consultation process, we will spend $41 million at Berri Hospital to expand the services—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Ask me a question, Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I would be delighted to answer any question you would like to put to me. I am currently answering a question that was put to me by your leader. I know that you would like to sit in his seat, and maybe one day you will—and there is probably an opportunity there for you in the future. But at the moment I am answering a question by the Leader of the Opposition, and I am saying that the cabinet supported this document going out for consultation—which is what we are doing. I expect that we will make changes to it as a result of that consultation process.

I know that one thing that the member for Chaffey supports is the $41 million development of the Berri Hospital, which expands services, creates more beds and provides more opportunities for procedures and surgery to happen in the Riverland so that fewer people will have to go to Adelaide to get that service.