House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Grievance Debate Barossa Hospital BAROSSA HOSPITAL Mr VENNING House of Assembly Schubert Mr VENNING (Schubert) (17:09): Madam Deputy Speaker, before I begin my speech I want to make a comment about question time today when some very important questions were asked on this side of the house. Time and again, no attempt was made to answer those questions. I believe it is a travesty of what this house stands for. It is question time, after all, not statement time. I believe that the questions that were raised, particularly in relation to an ICAC, should have been treated seriously and answered in full, because the people of South Australia expect us to do just that. Last year, funds were allocated in the state budget for a business case to be undertaken relating to the construction of a new health facility in the Barossa: a new Barossa hospital. Despite the funding being announced on 5 June 2008, a working party to formulate the business case was not formed until November. It can be alleged that this was a deliberate tactic so that the business case was not completed prior to this year's state budget—and there was no mention. The Barossa community was grateful that some money was put towards examining the construction of a new health facility. However, to date, despite the report being completed, it still has not been released and now everyone is quite anxious about what is happening. The business case should be made public so that the community can see what the proposed hospital entails, if in fact it supports its construction at all, and how much money is needed from the government to make it a reality. Also, it may highlight what the funding options are, and there would be several. I believe the report will make a compelling case for a new health facility development. The Barossa region pays more than its fair share of taxes. It is a large source of revenue for the state government, but what have we seen in return? I implore the Rann Labor government to release the business case to the public as soon as possible, and I will be speaking to minister Hill this afternoon about that. I am happy to keep the politics out of it if he wishes to confide in me and give me any information at all. Trust is involved here, and he can trust me. The Hon. M.J. Atkinson House of Assembly The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: Trust you? Kevin Foley did. Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: I am sure the report will echo what I and many in the community have been advocating for a long time. We urgently need a new hospital. When the Liberals were in government, the Hon. Dean Brown pledged to build a new hospital in the Barossa— The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting: Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: —and preliminary planning work had begun. The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting: Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: However, obviously, with the change of government it did not come to fruition— The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting: Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: —and it has been on the back-burner ever since the Rann government came to power. The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting: Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: I have said it before in this house and I will say it again— Mr PENGILLY House of Assembly Mr PENGILLY: Madam Deputy Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The interjections from the Attorney-General are detracting from the business of the house. The Deputy Speaker House of Assembly The DEPUTY SPEAKER: They are not helpful? Mr PENGILLY House of Assembly Mr PENGILLY: No. The Deputy Speaker House of Assembly The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Attorney, I ask you to refrain from interjecting. Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: I have said it before in the house and I will say it again: I am amazed that patients receive the high standard of service they do at the Angaston and Tanunda hospitals, particularly in the dilapidated Angaston facility. The staff who work there are fantastic and provide a wonderful service, but the facilities we ask them to work in are a disgrace, and at the moment they are particularly bad. The Barossa Council has agreed to let the state government build a brand new hospital on council land next to the planned Barossa health and fitness centre, but there is still no commitment from the Rann Labor government. Maybe I should be appealing to the federal government for funds. That may have to be an option. I ask minister Hill to release the business case now. It will reiterate what I have been advocating for the past 10 years. We have only six weeks left of this parliament; 18 days of sitting. I hope that in the run-up to the March state election this issue will feature prominently in the election manifestos of both major parties. People can be assured that I will do all I can to ensure that it does. The Barossa deserves a new hospital. I also want to inform the house about the very bad condition of Gomersal Road, which is an issue that I have raised in this house for many years. I was very pleased to see the previous Liberal government seal it. However, this new highway, which opened in 2005 and which was an initiative of previous minister Laidlaw, has eight times the expected traffic volume on it, with huge, heavy loads, and it is worn out. It is rough, potholing and dangerous and far in excess of the financial capacity of the Light and Barossa councils to address it. It should immediately be transferred to state government control and responsibility. I drive on it regularly, and the tailgate actually goes 'ching'. I am saying this because, if there is an accident there, there is going to be a paper trail. I have brought this up before. I believe that this is before the Minister for Transport, and negotiations are taking place. The Hon. M.J. Atkinson House of Assembly The Hon. M.J. Atkinson: A paper trail to your deficit. Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: I can't believe this is the Attorney-General, chucking insults like he does across the chamber. Irrespective— The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting: The Deputy Speaker House of Assembly The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: I am appealing to the minister to address this for the sake of safety and people's lives. The Deputy Speaker House of Assembly The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member may have 30 seconds more if he wishes. Mr VENNING House of Assembly Mr VENNING: Thank you, madam. I appreciate that very much, because I think that is the first time I can remember that being done after deliberate delaying tactics from the other side. I understand that the minister has this issue before him, that is, a swap with the councils involved. Most of this road is in Light council and a small proportion is in the Barossa council. I understand that the minister is trying to arrange a land swap between the council and the state government. I ask the minister to speed it up so that we get the money to have this road fixed before any of my constituents, or anyone else, is hurt. Time expired.