Coronavirus

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Premier. If children can spread COVID-19, why are schools still open?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:04): Children can contract and spread COVID-19 whether they are in schools or whether they are in the community. It's the considered opinion of the AHPPC that schools need to remain open at this point in the progress of this disease. That position hasn't changed; it was only confirmed last night. As I said in the parliament yesterday, and in many public statements, that advice can change into the future.

When I look at the way that we have progressed in South Australia, we have based all our decisions upon public health advice, expert advice and expert input, and I think that when we look at the results here in South Australia we are in front of the curve. We want to stay in front of the curve. We want to reduce the peak of the disease in South Australia, and we want to push it out into the future as much as possible. We know that by doing that we will protect our population.

There are some who don't want to accept what the experts are saying, and this can be a dangerous departure for us in South Australia. I know that many people have an opinion on this, but I think, at a time like this, the only reasonable thing that a government can do is listen to what the experts are suggesting. They are the ones who have access to the modelling, and they present compelling evidence that changes to the arrangements and the settings with regard to this virus can bring catastrophic consequences. These are matters of life and death, and so we think, in this instance, that we should be listening to the experts, and that's precisely what we are doing.