Repatriation General Hospital

Adjourned debate on motion of Mr Duluk (resumed on motion).

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (12:32): I rise to commend the motion and also the hard work of the member for Davenport and elected candidate for the seat of Waite—the member for 'Davenwaite', as we will acknowledge him here. Unfortunately, the member for Waite is not in the house—

The Hon. L.A. Vlahos interjecting:

Mr BELL: Pretty much. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs has not contributed to this debate here today, nor has the Minister for Health, and perhaps that is a reflection of their stance on this matter. Coming from Mount Gambier, people might wonder why I would be talking about the Repat. Before I got into parliament that probably would be a fair assessment, but when you come into this house you get to meet a number of wonderful people in your community and your electorate. I came across a veteran, Ansi Nitz, who took me aside and spoke to me about the Repat, what it means to him, how it has assisted his life and, in his words, 'saved his life' coming back from war.

Many times we have sat in an Indian restaurant not far from the Repat site, where he has spoken passionately not only about the hospital but also about the treatments he is undergoing there. He entrusted to me information that has made me want to fight to support this motion and congratulate those members of our community who have fought so hard to maintain the Repat: 120,000 signatures on a petition to save the Repat and people sleeping out in front of Parliament House for many nights show the passion and the meaning this hospital has for veterans, veterans of many wars, not just the Second World War.

It comes down to a matter of trust. It is pretty clear that many people in South Australia do not trust this government. Why would you? We have had premiers before say that never, ever would the Repat close, and here we are looking at closing the Repat. I congratulate those people who have maintained the fight. On behalf of Ansi and the South-East community, and many others at the RSL, I will stand up for their desire to have the Repat remain open.

I would say to people that your patience will be rewarded. In 12 months' time, you have a chance to make your voice, your desire, heard. It is not just yours; make sure that you talk to your friends and your families. Even if you have never voted Liberal before in your life, this is your chance to make a real difference and show this government that you will not be taken for granted and that people power can change a government. On 17 March 2018, make sure that not only you but your friends and families understand how important this issue is. With that, I conclude my remarks.

Mr DULUK (Davenport) (12:36): I put on the record my thanks to those who spoke—the member for Mount Gambier made an excellent contribution just then—and a very quick point that pretty much says that this is the people's opportunity to send a message to this tired and out of touch government that has for the last four years, or since the 2014 state election, cut and hacked health services in metropolitan Adelaide, and they are cutting and hacking health services in regional and country South Australia as well.

This is the people's opportunity to tell this government that you cannot play around with important health services, you cannot play around with the Repat, you cannot mess up health services and silo them, you cannot go on making terrible decisions as they have been in regard to health and you cannot ignore the wishes of the 120,000 petitioners who have petitioned this house in regard to the closure of the Repat. I thank the member for Finniss for his contribution as well. He has long been a supporter in this house of veterans' services and legacy.

I also thank the member for Elder for her contribution. I know that she is in a difficult position. I think that deep down she does not want to support Transforming Health. Deep down, she does not want to support the closure of the Repat, but she is bound by this machine that has put her second, a machine that has forced her to vote in this house against the best interests of her constituents. That is the most deplorable thing about what this government is doing. It is forcing its members to vote and support bad public health policy.

With those closing remarks, I would like to thank everyone who made a contribution. I would like to reassure those in the gallery and everyone who is following this debate that we on this side of the house will continue to fight for the Repat and continue to fight for the renewal of the Repat. We want to work with government, we want to work with the community and we want to see services maintained at the Repat, and that is something that I will be doing every day right up until election day and beyond.

The house divided on the motion:

Ayes 19

Noes 23

Majority 4

Motion thus negatived.