Mount Barker District Soldiers Memorial Hospital

Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (14:48): My question is to the Minister for Health. What community feedback have you received about overnight health services at the Mount Barker hospital?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:49): A lot.

The SPEAKER: Has the minister received any?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have, Mr Speaker. In the lead-up to the 2015 federal election, the then candidate but now member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie, ran a campaign based around the need for the Mount Barker district hospital to have a doctor overnight. In February, she presented me with a petition of 2,300 signatures from her local community supporting her campaign and lobbying for these services. Following on from the petition, as members would be aware, Country Health undertook a three-month trial, having a doctor overnight at the Mount Barker District Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, which commenced on 6 March

During the trial, there was an increase of over 115 per cent in presentations between 5pm and 7am. As a result of the success of the trials, I was pleased to join Ms Sharkie on 6 June to confirm the continuation of the service, which will grow to be a fully functioning peri-urban emergency department from July 2018. It is obviously a very important local issue, so you can imagine my surprise when I checked through my records to find that the member for Kavel has only written to me once on the topic, in July last year, after Ms Sharkie's campaign around the issue was well underway.

Mr Goldsworthy: You check your records!

The SPEAKER: The member for Kavel is warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The member for Kavel has written to me on only one other occasion about the service. So, Mr Speaker, you can imagine my surprise to read in Mount Barker's Courier that the shadow health spokesperson had claimed that our investment of over $6½ million to upgrade the service is, and I quote him, 'a political stunt'. I would suggest that the only political stunt here is the Liberal Party suddenly feigning interest in this matter.

Mount Barker will have a 24-hour doctor, which will grow to a peri-urban emergency department. Let me be clear: it is because of the member for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie, making me aware of the community's needs and lobbying on their behalf and not in any way the work of a lazy opposition that this investment is being made. I am sure that Rebekha Sharkie will continue to deliver results for the people of Mayo.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: the Minister for Health is flaunting standing order 98.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. Is the minister finished?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Thank you, sir.