Viral Respiratory Disease Pandemic Response Plan

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. Has each hospital developed standard operating procedure for personal protection equipment use and distribution as must be prepared according to the SA Health Viral Respiratory Disease Pandemic Response Plan, and were those procedures released? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: This same question was previously asked of the Premier by me. The Premier didn't have the answer to the question. He took it on notice and said that he will provide an answer to this important question to the house and for the public.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:21): And I intend to do so, but I will not be instructing SA Health to prioritise answering that question over saving lives in South Australia. That has got to always be—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —their number one priority.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: For those opposite to suggest that I would know the answer to all of those questions is just preposterous—

Mr Picton: What? You're the Premier!

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is warned a second time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: How on earth do those opposite think that a person in this house representing the minister would know detailed knowledge about various aspects of the health workforce testing protocols and PPE—the last two questions—at various hospitals in South Australia? This is extraordinary.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: One of the practices of this house is that we are given time to respond to these questions. These were questions that were asked only two weeks ago. There is a normal practice of four weeks to respond to these questions, but if those opposite are seriously suggesting that I leave the chamber, get on the phone now, get on to SA Health and say, 'Drop everything you're doing because the member for Kaurna has an important question he wants answered now'—is that what you're asking us to do?

This is extraordinary, absolutely extraordinary, that, during a global pandemic, that's what the member for Kaurna's number one issue is.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It's extraordinary, and it just points out why, if that lot ever—

The SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —end up back on the treasury bench our state would be in an absolutely dire situation.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded his answer.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Thank you, sir.

The SPEAKER: Point of order?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: During that outburst, sir, the Premier was debating the question.

The SPEAKER: I was distracted and there was mass interjection. I ask that to cease. He may have been, but he has concluded his answer, and if he does it again I will be pulling him up. Member for Hammond, and then I will come to the member for Lee.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader! The leader will not interject. I do not want to remove the leader from the chamber today. The member for Hammond.