CENTRAL NORTHERN ADELAIDE HEALTH SERVICE

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister advise whether he is aware of and will take responsibility for the budget blow-out in this year's budget of the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service; if not, why not? The Minister for Health in this house stated on 24 October 2007:

There are clear and strong community expectations that the Minister for Health be accountable for the public health system, as I have said many times. The buck stops with me.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:38): Under the Westminster system—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I am not blaming anybody. I was explaining to people why systems—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Well, I wasn't blaming anyone. I was criticising the opposition for being hopeless—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Unley!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —but I was not blaming you for our budget.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: I think that is Chris Pyne's job.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I won't go there. Under the Westminster system of parliament, I am responsible for the running of our services, and I come in here and I answer questions. I point out to the shadow minister, who asked the question, that it was his party that opposed the changes to the health care legislation that gave me that responsibility. In the past, individual boards were responsible, and there was nothing that ministers of the day could do, other than through crude mechanisms.

It is true that I have brought those responsibilities into our head office, and I have brought them into my own office, so I am responsible for the running of the health service. I think our service is a very good service. We can do more to improve it in a whole range of ways, including financial management, and we are working with Treasury, going through those improvements all the time. We are bringing the system under control, but it does take considerable effort and it does take considerable toughness, and we are prepared to put both those qualities behind this effort.