Health Infrastructure

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (15:05): Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Health. What impact will the recently announced state budget investment in health infrastructure have on jobs for South Australians?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (15:06): I would like to thank the member for Elder for her question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I can't understand you when you speak like that.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Health will be seated. The Minister for Health hasn't offered the slightest provocation yet; in fact, he has been unable to say anything, but there has been a barrage of interjections by the member for Davenport, who is warned for the second and final time, by the deputy leader, who is warned for the second and final time, and I am glad, by facial expression, that the member for Schubert confesses and is called to order.

Mr Knoll: I was just going to say that the member for Elder can apply for one of the construction jobs to build the new hospital after she loses her electorate.

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Schubert. Minister for Health.

Members interjecting:

Ms DIGANCE: Point of order, to the member for Dunstan on just his accusation just then on the flyer that was put out on the last election, accusing me of being racist. I would like an apology.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond and the leader will rise in their place and withdraw and apologise forthwith or they will be named.

Mr MARSHALL: For what, sir? What did I say?

The SPEAKER: I am not going to repeat the imputation again. They will withdraw and apologise forthwith.

Mr MARSHALL: But can I just ask one point of clarification? Are you relying on what the member for Elder then just reported?

The SPEAKER: Yes.

Mr MARSHALL: Well, then can I ask you, before you ask for this to occur, to check the Hansard, because it is very different, sir.

The SPEAKER: I will check the Hansard and deal with it after question time. The member for Hammond, however, was caught in flagrante delicto.

Mr PEDERICK: I am happy to withdraw and apologise, sir.

The SPEAKER: No, it's not a question of your mood when you withdraw and apologise; it is the question of rising and withdrawing and apologising.

Mr PEDERICK: I withdraw and apologise, sir.

Members interjecting:

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

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I will check the Hansard as regards the leader's contribution to see if his remarks were caught, which they may not have been.

Mr Marshall: I would be very happy to listen to the recording, sir.

The SPEAKER: Now, where were we? The Minister for Health.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: In recent days, the state Labor government has made a series of exciting announcements about the massive investment we are making through the 2017-18 state budget.

An honourable member: What about for the Repat?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They mentioned the Repat. I can also tell the house of a $200 million investment at the Daw Park Repat site, and are we not proud of that? It is only the opposition—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —who would oppose a $200 million investment at the Repat site. I am very, very, very proud of that. We have invested to modernise and upgrade our public hospitals. This major injection of funding will ensure our hospitals continue to be cutting edge and technologically advanced and that South Australians continue to receive world-class health care. Over the past few days, the Premier and I, and many of our state Labor colleagues, have talked a lot about how this investment will improve health care provided to South Australians in our public hospitals.

Importantly, the significant 2017-18 state budget investments will also support South Australian jobs, with nearly 3,000 direct and indirect positions expected to be created across multiple hospital sites over the life of the project. This is fantastic news for South Australian companies and workers, and it is great news for the South Australian economy. We know that investment in public infrastructure is smart investment. We have a track record when it comes to investment in our health infrastructure.

Since 2002, the state government has upgraded every major hospital across the state, as well as investing in our new Royal Adelaide Hospital, one of the best modern hospitals in the world. In fact, we have invested over $4 billion to rebuild and upgrade every metropolitan public hospital and every major country hospital in the state. To ensure our investments create local jobs and inject funds into local industries, we established the Industry Participation Advocate in 2013. We now want to strengthen the powers of the Industry Participation Advocate to ensure that public infrastructure projects in this state use more South Australian material and employ more South Australian workers.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, sir: the minister is referring to a bill that is before the house. In fact, it will be on this afternoon.

The SPEAKER: The minister will not anticipate debate.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We have seen about 12,000 workers employed during construction of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital in addition to the current $185.5 million building works at the Flinders Medical Centre, which include the new palliative care unit, state-of-the-art rehabilitation centre and multistorey car park, all due for completion in September. It has supported over 200 full-time equivalent positions during construction. As these projects reach their completion, along with other major hospital upgrades undertaken as part of our $250 million investment in hospital infrastructure since 2014, this state Labor government will continue investing and rebuilding South Australia's public hospital infrastructure.

Through our massive investment into our public hospitals under the 2017-18 budget, we are creating thousands of jobs for South Australians as well as ensuring our patients have access to the best modern health care in state-of-the-art facilities. Unlike the opposition, whose track record includes privatising the management of Modbury Hospital by handing its operation to an interstate company, this government will invest in our public health system ensuring the benefits remain in our great state.

The SPEAKER: The minister is now debating the matter in violation of standing orders and I call him to order. The member for Light.