Question Time

Children's Hospital

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. When can the people of South Australia expect the new children's hospital, promised by the Premier in the lead-up to the last election?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:20): We have just received a media announcement, where in 2024 we have said we will be delivering the new women's hospital—

Mr Marshall: The question is about the children's hospital.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The children's hospital? In 2019, we will complete the planning phase of the children's hospital, and—

Mr Marshall: So you will have a plan in 2019. When are you going to deliver?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I must say that at least they are consistent: they always hate a new hospital. They have consistently—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We are investing $1.1 billion not only to invest in a new hospital, a new women's hospital, but also to upgrade the suburban network. Not only will this improve the quality of health care in our state and provide a first-class experience in our public hospital system but it will also do something else very important for South Australians, and that is to create 2,890 construction jobs. One of the great benefits—

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order, sir: I ask that you bring the Premier back to the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: I thought he was bang on substance.

Mr MARSHALL: No, the question was, 'When will the children's hospital be delivered?'

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: You don't have to like the answer.

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

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: Thank you, sir.

The SPEAKER: Don't mention it. I also call to order the deputy leader, the member for Mitchell and the member for Morialta.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The children's hospital at the current site will, of course, be upgraded; $64 million will be spent upgrading the children's hospital at its existing site. It is expected to—

Mr Marshall: So it's not going to move for a couple of decades?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That's right. It is expected to remain at that site for 10 years, but it will be upgraded. So we will have a new women's hospital and we will have an upgraded children's hospital. This contrasts with those opposite. We know that the policies that occurred during the last time they were in government will continue because the same personalities are there. The Hon. Rob Lucas is still there, and the Hon. Stephen Wade, the chief of staff of the former minister for health. The cold, dark hand reaching out from the past to privatise, once again: 'Can we privatise one last hospital, can we cut one last health service?' We make our commitments, we fund them, we build hospitals, we are proud of building hospitals. It is what Labor parties do.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I am not going to warn members opposite who rose to the bait the Premier offered them, but before the Premier started baiting them the member for Morialta I warn a first time and a second time.