COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICES

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:45): My question is, again, directed to the Minister for Health. Was the Premier correct when he said on radio on 17 September, 'This budget rules out hospital closures'? Can the minister guarantee that the government's funding cuts will not close any hospitals? The opposition has been informed that the budget cuts of $370,000 per year will close the Keith Hospital, the budget cuts of $300,000 per year will close the Moonta Hospital and the budget cuts of $140,000 per year will close the Ardrossan Hospital.

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) (14:45): It is deeply unfortunate that the opposition is using these kinds of scare tactics on communities which are obviously feeling somewhat vulnerable. I went through (I thought in some detail) the services that we were currently funding in each of those hospitals and the impact that it would have on the hospitals if that funding was removed.

In the case of Moonta, we are funding eight aged-care beds, or the equivalent aged-care beds, nursing home beds. If that funding ceases, it will not affect the running of the rest of the hospital because there are 64 aged-care beds funded by the commonwealth government. If you cannot make 64 aged-care beds funded by the commonwealth work as a business, there is something seriously wrong. This is scaremongering by the opposition but—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —I am not surprised that the opposition would choose to pursue the issue of private hospitals because we know its track record in relation to public hospitals. When they were in government they cut public health in this state. They have a record in government of cutting—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: —funding to public hospitals, particularly in the country. They closed many beds in country hospitals.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Hammond.

The Hon. J.D. HILL: They closed many country beds in country hospitals. They reduced services in country hospitals and, of course, they privatised. They privatised Modbury, and they wanted to privatise The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. They are interested in private health; they are not interested in public health. That's our priority—public health. No public hospital will close as a result of any of the decisions we have made, nor should any other private hospital. However, it is up to the boards to manage those hospitals according to the budgets that they have, and we are happy to help them do that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!