HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCILS

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (15:18): I rise today to express the disappointment and anger that people right across this state are feeling towards the government of one issue in particular. There are many issues but this one in particular is in relation to the management of funds which have been donated by local communities to their local health advisory council. My understanding is that the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure is now intending to take a 12 per cent management fee from any of the donated funds expended on capital works within various health advisory council hospitals and campuses.

By way of background, sir, the Lower Eyre Health Advisory Council intended to replace the roof of the Tumby Bay Hospital and spend bequeathed money on the Uringa aged-care facility. That same health advisory council is also running an adopt-a-room project in Cummins at the Cummins Hospital. The funds for all these projects are held by the local hospital auxiliary and not by state Treasury. That local hospital auxiliary is registered for GST and capable of managing the funds and the project. They have been informed by the government that the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) intends to charge all capital works and maintenance donated by the communities who support local country hospitals a fee of 12 per cent.

At a recent meeting to select a tender for the upgrading of the bathroom at Tumby Bay's Uringa Hostel the working party was informed by Country Health SA's staff that the project had to progress under the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. The working party had progressed the project, with plans being drawn up by a local designer in consultation with Country Health staff. Five sets of specifications have been distributed to local builders at a cost of $6,000. They have now been told that DPTI will take over the project and charge a 12 per cent management fee.

The bequest is valued at $216,000. It is donated money: it is not Treasury money. DPTI will take up to $25,000 of the bequest moneys for a project that is about to commence. Part of the plan includes replacing unsafe paving which would cost approximately $25,000. This is the equivalent in funding to what DPTI would take from the project. This direction was made shortly after the Minister for Health visited the Tumby Bay Hospital; that meeting took place quite recently. The auxiliary met with the minister during the visit, but there was no mention of the 12 per cent management fee at that time.

We need some answers very quickly with regard to this. HACs all across country South Australia will have the same issues. It would seem that Cummins and Tumby Bay are about to be the first who will be obliged to pay this fee. It is a classic case of skimming by the government. The government is skimming funds from our local community, from funds that have been raised by the local community. One has to ask if we have finally lost control of our own assets. As has already been mentioned today, it is a very good example of the low regard and disdain that this government has for country communities and, indeed, volunteers right across this state.

It is disappointing for me to have to rise and make this grieve today, but I think there has been much correspondence entered into. We need a resolution to this very quickly, otherwise these hospital auxiliaries right across the state, which have played such an important funding role and fundraising role within our local communities, will become disheartened for no good reason. The government needs to have a very good look at itself on this particular issue.