Coronavirus

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:21): My question is to the Premier. Has the government considered following the Queensland state government's lead to spend $25 million to bring forward their purchases of medicines, gloves and masks to protect their state?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:21): As I have indicated to the house, we are staying abreast of developments with regard to the coronavirus. We are not in the business of creating panic and anxiety here in South Australia. We are working very cooperatively with Brendan Murphy, who is the Chief Medical Officer for Australia. He is working with Nicola Spurrier, our Chief Public Health Officer in South Australia. If they give information and advice to the government that that is the course of action that we should take, we will consider that information, but to this point in time there has been no such request.

Queensland can make their own decisions as to how they respond to the coronavirus, but I am absolutely satisfied that we have handled this potentially dangerous situation in Australia extraordinarily well to date and that we have played our part in South Australia. I do thank all those people within SA Health and, as I said, Dr Nicola Spurrier for the work she has done. I think she has done what she can to quell anxiety that exists in the community.

I particularly want to acknowledge that, when there was quite a lot of concern about whether or not people should be out in public, she made a decision that she would accompany me and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, the Hon. Stephen Wade, to Chinatown for dinner on a Sunday night. So unconcerned was she about the potential health effects of that visit, she took her husband and her son to that meeting. I think this was a very strong demonstration from the Chief Public Health Officer in South Australia and the Minister for Health that we have to be alert but we cannot be alarmed.

We cannot panic in South Australia. This is a time for careful considered action, and that is what is occurring at the moment. As I said, when Dr Spurrier suggested to the government that there were some changes she thought were necessary—amendments to the Public Health Act—we took those suggestions immediately to cabinet and cabinet made a swift decision. This is what we will do: when we are presented with evidence of action that we should take, we will consider it promptly and we will take decisive action.