Question Time

Coronavirus

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:05): My question is to the Premier. Exactly how many ventilators does our state have right now, how many additional ventilators are on order and when will those ventilators arrive? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: On 25 March, I asked the Premier this question and he committed to come back with an answer. That was 35 days ago and no answer has been provided.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:05): I apologise that no answer has been provided but, as I advised the house at that point and I advise again today, we have significantly increased the number of ventilators that are available—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —as well as other requirements to make sure that we are ready should there be a significant surge in the requirement for hospitalisation. To date, we have been extraordinarily fortunate; in fact, as of yesterday at 3.45, when we provided the most recent update, there were four people in hospitals in South Australia, two of them in ICU. My understanding is that both of those are in a critical condition. At least one of them is on a ventilator and it could be both of them in ICU, so we have a very small percentage of our existing ventilator capability utilised.

Mr Picton: And how many is that?

The SPEAKER: Member for Kaurna!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There is some complexity regarding the issue of ventilators. One is the issue of what is available in South Australia. The honourable member would know that we have signed a new agreement with the private hospitals in South Australia so that we have access under the NPA to the private ventilators that are available in South Australia. Beyond that, there has been fairly significant procurement activity, both on behalf of SA Health and with regard to the commonwealth. The commonwealth now has a very significant stockpile that has been procured and a further stockpile that has been purchased for ventilators. It is not clear to me just yet whether a final, if you like, distribution of that national stockpile has been determined. I will make inquiries—

Mr Picton: That's what you said last time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and I will certainly be happy to come back to the house. The member interjects, suggesting that that's what we said last time. I just thought I had provided some fairly significant update to the information that had been provided last time with regard to the NPA that has been done with private hospitals, which is new information to the house, and with regard to the national stockpile. I am happy to get an update and provide that to the member.

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna and the member for Lee are both warned for their interjections.