Health Budget

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:16): A supplementary, sir: given that the Treasurer has said that he has relied on other people's advice to make his statement to the people of South Australia last week that there will not be cuts to front-line staff in the health department, can he outline who provided that advice and whether or not he can provide an assurance that there will not be any front-line staff cuts in SA Health?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:16): I give an assurance that we will abide by all arrangements within enterprise agreements for ratios and for nurses to beds. We will always have—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We will always have more investment in health and education than members opposite. It's something we have always done. We have never privatised a hospital. Members opposite have privatised a hospital. Members opposite have traditionally, when they have come to office, cut very deeply into health and education. We have seen it at the commonwealth level; we won't do the same.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Stuart.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The Treasurer is debating the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: He is. Point of order upheld.