Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): Supplementary, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The members for Hartley and Morialta are called to order. Leader.

Mr MARSHALL: A supplementary to the Premier: does the Premier agree with the comments made by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption's to the select committee last week when he suggested that somebody needs to take responsibility for the failings at Oakden? If he does accept—

The SPEAKER: The leader will be seated. He has asked his question. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:21): Yes—and I have. I have accepted responsibility. The buck stops with me. The responsibility for this disgraceful set of circumstances that exists at Oakden has been accepted by both the minister and me, and our responsibilities having been made aware of the awful circumstances there are to take urgent and assertive steps to remedy the situation.

As at 29 May, there are 26 people who have been referred to AHPRA; five people who have been referred to SAPOL; 10 are on paid leave, pending investigation; and there has been one termination and one resignation. What we won't be doing is taking precipitant steps to terminate somebody's employment only to have that decision overturned because we haven't taken the proper process. If that is the absurd proposition that is being advanced by those opposite, then I would be very interested to hear it. But I am also interested to hear what the leader's standards are about ministerial or frontbench responsibility. What are the standards that are going to be applied to his front bench?

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, let's see. We'll test that.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: the Premier doesn't get to ask the questions. If he wants to ask questions, he can come and sit on this side.

The SPEAKER: The following members are called to order: the members for Unley, Hammond, Mount Gambier, the deputy leader, the leader and the member for Wright. The deputy leader is warned for that outburst, and so are the members for Hartley and Morialta, who continue to interject, and the member for Morialta is warned for the second and final time. Leader.