Question Time

COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICES

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question is to the Minister for Health. Given that for the second day in a row the government has been confronted by large protests in front of Parliament House, what message does the minister want to give in this house to the people who have travelled hundreds of kilometres from country South Australia to voice their anger over the closure of their hospitals? Is the minister at least prepared to reverse his decision?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (14:26): I thank the leader for her question. I guess there are two aspects to it. I say to the people who have travelled this far that I understand the passion they have for their local community and the concern they might have. That concern has been amped up by people seeking to make political capital out of the decisions we have made.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: That is par for the course. That is what the opposition will always do; it will take any decision by government and amp it up and exaggerate the implications of it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I warn the member for Bragg.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I think I was invited to make this kind of response, Madam Speaker, by the nature of the question, to be perfectly frank. It was a loaded question that contained comment, and if the Leader of the Opposition thinks that I will stand up here and meekly answer yes or no, according to whatever she thinks I should do, she is very much mistaken. I have agreed to meet with representatives of the—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I have agreed to meet with representatives of the hospitals, and my office has been in contact with a number of representatives over recent days. I have to say that the conversations they have had over the phone have been quite reasonable. I am sure we can assist those hospitals to develop some transition arrangements so that they can be sustainable. In each case there is, in my view, no reason why there should be any long-term negative impacts on those communities as a result of the budget decisions. However, the point I make is that as a state we have to reduce our expenditure by about $1.4 billion because of the effects of the global financial crisis. If you take money out—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: They mock, Madam Speaker, as if the global financial crisis did not happen, as if the revenue base of our state was not cut—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Yet they would spend all the money without taking any of the responsible actions that are necessary. As a government we—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: As a responsible government we had to take responsible action. We are taking something like $400 million out of the public health system, and I think it is not unreasonable that a small amount should come out of the subsidies that we put into the private system.