House of Assembly: Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Contents

Question Time

Hospital Beds

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): My question is to the Premier. Why has the Premier closed 60 hospital beds when his health minister said yesterday that hospital ramping is at record levels and has doubled under his government?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:07): The beds remain in the system but, as has occurred under SA Health for a long period of time, and under the previous government, bed numbers in—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —operation flex. They tend to increase during peak periods of winter and they tend to reduce at other times.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: And we leave that decision up to the clinicians, as we think that this is the best way to go.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader, I call the following members to order: the members for Hurtle Vale, Lee, Kaurna and the member for Elizabeth. The leader.