Hospital Management Investigation

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:06): Can the minister perhaps—

The SPEAKER: Will the leader be seated. Before we move on I call to order the leader, the member for Mount Gambier and the member for Morphett, and I warn the member for Adelaide. Leader.

Mr MARSHALL: Thank you very much, sir. Can the minister outline to the house what the policy is regarding informing the minister of a breach of access to private medical records?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:06): It would be consistent with everything else. Obviously, things happen. I'm not informed of every single thing that happens and every single adverse event that happens within SA Health.

Dr McFetridge: John Hill said that the buck stops with you.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Indeed, the buck does stop with me, but I am not informed of every single adverse event that happens within SA Health. Basically, the chief executive and officers within the department need to use their discretion about what information or what things are of such seriousness that they need to be brought to my attention.

That would be the same with every minister here and would be the same with every minister who has ever served in any government in any Westminster democracy around the world. It is simply impossible. Nor would it be useful for every single adverse event that happens within a minister's responsibility to be brought directly to that minister's attention. Some matters are relatively trivial, and I certainly would not expect every single misdemeanour of—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The Leader of the Opposition needs to understand that volume is not a substitute for intelligence. Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: And the deputy leader in particular needs to understand that volume is not a substitute for intelligence. I would not expect to be advised of every single misdemeanour that happens within the department, nor would any minister. However, there are matters which are of sufficient seriousness, and I would expect this matter to be one of them, that I would be advised of.

The SPEAKER: Before the leader asks the question, I call to order the members for Goyder, Morialta, Chaffey, Davenport and the deputy leader. I warn the members for Morphett, Schubert, Morialta, Mount Gambier and the leader. I warn for the second and final time the members for Morphett and Schubert. Leader.