Question Time

Repatriation General Hospital

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:17): My question is to the Minister for Health. Given that, on 12 February this year, the Minister for Health dismissed online protests by saying, 'If the Leader of the Opposition can provide 13,000 signatures, of course that would carry some weight,' will the minister now reverse the decision to close the Repat Hospital after tabling a petition more than six times larger than the minister's threshold, with 88,000 signatures?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:17): No, I won't. I must say, on this issue the opposition speak, and in particular the opposition leader speaks, with a forked tongue, because we well know that what the Leader of the Opposition says behind closed doors is quite different to what he says to the Repat protesters on the front steps. We know—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order?

Mr GARDNER: That is clear reflection on a member and probably imputing improper motive as well.

The SPEAKER: I think it is imputing improper motives. The question was asked in a reasonable spirit. It was not strongly rhetorical or insulting, so I would ask the minister to move away from that line of reasoning.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Well, the short answer is no, sir.