Ambulance Services

Mr KNOLL (Schubert) (14:52): Supplementary: can the minister advise how many of these interns have graduated to actually becoming ambulance staff and, if some have, have any of the 12 additional ambulances that have been promised under Transforming Health been procured for them to be able to use?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:52): We are massively increasing the size of our ambulance service under Transforming Health; however, the paramedics need to do their internship. You can't take university graduates straight out and put them straight on the road.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I know the opposition recycles through leaders and puts them up a bit prematurely, but that's not the way to run an ambulance service. Paramedics need to do their internship and, once they have completed their internship, then yes, of course, they will graduate to being full paramedics and they will be out on the road with their crews. They go out with their crews anyway as interns but just under close supervision.