HOSPITAL STAFFING

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:35): My question is to the Premier. Why did the Premier announce cuts to jobs and beds at the Women's and Children's Hospital, and the closure of the Modbury Hospital paediatric ward, just after running his own federal election fear campaign about the claimed cuts under a Coalition government?

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned a second time for placing comment in a question.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (16:36): I think there is one thing to be certain of; that is, if we had announced these decisions last week, the opposition and, indeed, the media would be criticising the government for trying to bury these decisions in the middle of a federal election campaign. We made the decision yesterday with regard to the Women's and Children's Hospital. We went out and announced the decision. I would be interested to know if the opposition actually have any questions of substance about the decisions we've made rather than trying to—

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —trivialise the matter by asking—

The SPEAKER: Let me anticipate the point of order of the member for Stuart and see if I am correct. The Minister for Health is not responsible to the house for what questions the opposition asks. Does the minister have anything further to add?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I would just add as well that these are not decisions that suddenly came to light out of nowhere yesterday. Some months ago—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is called to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Some months ago, the government released both the report from Deloitte, which the government was going to take to consultation regarding the Women's and Children's Hospital, and the proposal about the paediatric ward at the Modbury Hospital. Both of these proposals have been out in the public arena for a very long time.

Mrs Redmond: You kept denying you were going to do anything.

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen probably thinks I can't hear her. So, just to remove all doubts on that point, I will call her to order. The member for Morphett.