Coronavirus

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:52): My question is to the Premier. Why has the Premier or his ministers not replied to repeated offers from the CEO of Clinpath to assist with additional COVID-19 testing during the pandemic? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

The SPEAKER: Is leave granted?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Point of order: the question before the seeking of leave contained argument and purported fact under 97. I don't think it's right to put in purported fact and then seek leave after the fact.

The SPEAKER: I have considered the point of order. Is leave granted?

Honourable members: Yes, sir.

Leave granted.

The SPEAKER: Leave is granted, so I am going to allow the question.

Mr PICTON: On 30 March, 20 April and 27 April, the CEO of Clinpath wrote to the Premier and ministers Stephen Wade and Rob Lucas offering to assist with COVID-19 testing through their laboratories. Liberal Party fundraising director, Maurice Henderson, was copied into this correspondence. The offer was to assist as a backup and redundancy to the SA Pathology laboratories, as is in place in all other states. Clinpath has had no correspondence back to these repeated written offers. The minister had promised a response, but none has been received.

The SPEAKER: I remind the member for Kaurna that facts can only be inserted per standing order 97 only so far as to explain the question. I have allowed it. I now allow the answer.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:54): My understanding is that the minister has responded to that request for information.