Repatriation General Hospital

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:33): Supplementary: when did the minister first approach ACH about reinstating their proposal, and why were they rejected in the first place?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:33): When you have a tender process there can only be one winner. The fact that you have chosen one bid over another—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —is not a reflection upon an unsuccessful bid; it simply means that they were pipped at the post by another bid, which in this case was very slightly better and—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —only just beat, when we compared what we had before us, what was being offered. We were in the very fortunate position, when RSL LifeCare were unable to—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: It is extraordinary how sensitive the Leader of the Opposition is to anything from a minister, and yet—

Mr KNOLL: Point of order, Mr Speaker: standing orders 98, 127—whichever one takes your fancy.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold 127.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We are in the very fortunate position to have ACH Group, who provided an excellent bid. We are talking about $200 million, which is going to be invested in the Daw Park—

Ms Sanderson: Yes, for three years.

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide is called to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We are talking about $200 million, 1,000 jobs created through the construction phase, hundreds of jobs on the site once the site is fully operational. This is a fantastic outcome. We are going to see a brand-new, redeveloped site. Unlike the opposition, who just wants to talk down our health system and talk down our state—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: If the Leader of the Opposition thinks whinging, whining and carping is going to provide a platform into government he is gravely mistaken.

The SPEAKER: The minister is warned for breaching the standing orders by debating the answer.