Enterprise Patient Administration System

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): My question is to the Minister for Health. Can the minister explain to the house when he was first made aware of the massive $152.4 million write-off on the projected benefits of the EPAS project and why he didn't make a proactive disclosure of this write-off to this parliament?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:43): In answer after answer on this issue I have been quite explicit about the fact that we have not been achieving savings out of EPAS and that there was additional cost associated with the fact that it was taking us longer to roll out EPAS and so we weren't harvesting the benefits. It also meant that we had to continue legacy systems for longer than we had originally anticipated, so I have—

Mr Marshall: It's a $150 million write-off.

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second and final time. The minister's answer will be heard in silence.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: There is nothing at all new in this. I have said over and over again that this was an issue.

Mr Pederick: It's just a disaster.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The member for Hammond growls, 'This is just a disaster.' Mr Speaker, I can tell you that I have spoken to clinicians who are using EPAS at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, at the Repat and at Noarlunga Hospital and they are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it.

Mr Marshall: Don't mislead the house.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They are overwhelmingly enthusiastic about it. I recall a very good piece written by Dr Jim Holland, who is the director of the Noarlunga emergency—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is on two warnings.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —department. He is an excellent clinician and he has written very approvingly of EPAS and how he has seen it in the Noarlunga emergency department. I will have more to say about how successful the EPAS rollout has been very soon.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health is warned for provoking the Leader of the Opposition and for responding to his interjections.