Country Hospitals

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. Has any one person actually got a job from the $15 million stimulus to the country hospital package?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:26): I don't have the details of that. What I do know is that we had a program that was very clear to upgrade our—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —country hospitals over the next 10 years. We put $140 million on the table and I would have thought that the opposition would have been very excited about bringing forward the important—

Mr Patterson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is warned. He has been doing it all day.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would have thought that those opposite would have been quite excited about the upgrade of country hospitals in South Australia—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Go on, throw the dummy, sit down.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I know that many people in country SA have been very excited about the bringing forward of these projects, but we do need to always be mindful to look after the taxpayer's pocket, and so I think it is only reasonable that we make sure that we get a good deal. Some of the upgrades weren't planned for some time, and we want to make sure we do these in accordance with the latest building code and all the other electrical requirements that are out there. We are going to do it in a very considered way and make sure that we spend as much of that money as possible as soon as possible.

But $15 million worth of additional spending will be put into the next financial year so that we can make sure we upgrade those hospitals. Where possible, with our $350 million stimulus and support package we have created immediate jobs in South Australia. In our broader package of $1 billion supporting the people of South Australia, we know that a huge amount of money—tens of millions of dollars—has already gone out to businesses that are doing it tough during this COVID pandemic.

We are very pleased to be supporting those businesses. We know that they are doing it hard. It is going to be a big burden on the taxpayers here in South Australia. I have already made it clear that this is going to be a particularly difficult budget for us, not only because we are increasing our support for businesses and individuals in South Australia but also because of falling revenue that is coming into South Australia, most particularly from GST revenue from the commonwealth.

It is going to be a tough period, but this is the period when we need to stand up and support those businesses and individuals in our state. Part of it is about spending money to create jobs. We are getting on with that work where it is important to do so. I know, for example, that the Minister for Human Services has put $10 million immediately into upgrading public housing in South Australia. I know that all those contracts have already been—

Mr Brown: How much of that has been spent?

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford can leave for the remainder of question time under 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I know that all that money has already been allocated and work is already underway. In fact, I think $6 million of the $10 million will be spent this financial year. I commend the Minister for Human Services for the work that she is doing in that regard. It is important to upgrade our public housing and $10 million has been put in place. It was quite easy to continue to roll out these programs because arrangements had already been made with contractors who were already doing maintenance work.

It was similar work across other properties in South Australia and easy to get in place as quickly as possible. It is not as easy to go back and look at programs of upgrades in country hospitals that might not have been scheduled for three, four, five, six or seven years and bring them forward and have all that design work, but I absolutely assure this house that we are moving as quickly as we can to upgrade those country hospitals and simultaneously—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —supply more jobs for our state.

The SPEAKER: We have the question. The member for Kaurna, who is warned, has the call.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Would the leader and the Deputy Premier like to do this outside at the bar? No? Okay.