Ambulance Employees Association

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): My question is again to the Premier. Has the Premier taken the time to personally meet with leaders and members of the Ambulance Employees Association to hear their concerns, as members of the opposition did on the steps today, about the ongoing ambulance crisis that is putting the health and lives of South Australians at risk right now?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:14): I thank the leader for his question. He asked exactly the same question about three weeks ago and I am happy to repeat that now. I have actually spoken to many members who work as brave South Australian ambulance officers in South Australia, and I thank them for their service to our state.

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Of course there is a negotiation which is going on at the moment. I am pleased that people are at the table, and I reiterate the facts—that since coming to government we have significantly increased the budget for the South Australian Ambulance Service, we have provided new, refurbished equipment for South Australian ambulance officers, and in our first two years an additional 187 ambulance officers in South Australia. The current budget provides for a further 76 in South Australia. More than that, the Treasurer, who is responsible for industrial relations in South Australia, has—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader will cease interjecting.

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford will cease interjecting. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There are a few anger management issues on the other side of the chamber again today. We see this a lot. People are watching this at home and they get scared.

The reality is that we are in the South Australian Employment Tribunal at the moment. We have an offer on the table for additional people, ambulance officers, in South Australia, but we do need to see reform. We don't think it's acceptable that ambulance officers in South Australia are working 12-hour shifts. This is not our position and we would like to negotiate that as part of this overall negotiation.

But I make the points that we have increased the budget, we have upgraded the equipment, we have put 187 new ambulance officers on in the first two years, 76 in the current budget and 50 that are on the table at the moment, and we are in the South Australian Employment Tribunal as we speak.

As I said in my answer to the previous question—and the leader alluded to this in his question—this is a health matter as well as an industrial matter, but to solve the health matter we do need greater flexibility in our budget to better serve the people—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would have thought you would be the last person speaking today.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! The Premier will resume his seat for a moment. The member for West Torrens on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sir, that was an appalling reference to the member for Hurtle Vale by the Premier. He should withdraw and apologise immediately.

An honourable member: Oh, come on!

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The matter that is the subject of the member for West Torrens' point of order is a matter that might properly be raised by the member for Hurtle Vale should she wish to raise it. I will give her an opportunity to do so.

Ms COOK: Sir, I take offence at the remarks made by the Premier that I should be the last person to comment on this matter. I take deep offence at his inference, and I ask him to apologise and withdraw.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Elder!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hurtle Vale raises a point of order; she has taken offence. In the circumstances, I invite the Premier to withdraw the remarks to which the member for Hurtle Vale has taken offence.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I have no idea what the basis for the offence is. I am happy to apologise—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It is important to note that the relevant test is a subjective one. The member for Hurtle Vale has indicated that she has taken offence. In the circumstances, I invite the Premier to withdraw.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: As directed by you, sir, I withdraw the remark and apologise. But I will go on to say—and I think it is important to say—that, going forward, in this parliament we need to provide some reason, otherwise what we are going to have is a series of people standing up one after the other saying, 'I take offence.' The member for Hurtle Vale came into this parliament as a nurse—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: She then stood idly by while the Repat was closed, while services in her own local area were closed down—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the—

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and then she stands up here in this parliament—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —having a go at us for putting more resources in.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat.

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Mawson will cease interjecting. The member for West Torrens on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sir, the Premier is debating the answer. I ask that you bring him back to the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. The Premier was, and in a way that was beyond the matter that was the subject of the point of order, addressing the circumstances. It is relevant only that the Premier withdraws and apologises, which he has done. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The central part of the question was really about health versus industrial. I addressed the industrial issues at the start of my answer and, of course, I address now the health issues. But it is hard to take constant questioning from those opposite, especially those who come from a background in the medical area, who come in and ask us what we are doing while they sat idly by with Transforming Health. Now we are addressing the health concerns.

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens rises on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: That is clearly debate, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right! I have the point of order. For the moment—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wright is warned. The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am in the course of dealing with the member for West Torrens' point of order. I have the member for West Torrens' point of order. For the moment, in the circumstances of the question, I am listening carefully, but the provision of context to a certain degree in this regard I regard as within the scope of standing order 98. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They absolutely hate their past. They're embarrassed by their past: their hopeless and failed Transforming Health. Every single day that we have been in power we have been restoring services, restoring the budget—$2.2 billion worth of new money into the health budget and $1.1 billion going into capital upgrades, all to fix the mess that we inherited from those opposite, so it's about time you took some responsibility for the mess that you created.