Hospital Beds

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): My question is to the Premier. Why won't the Premier tell the house—

The Hon. S.S. Marshall: Get somebody to write your questions.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will cease interjecting.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left! The leader will resume his seat. The Minister for Energy and Mining on a point of order.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, the question, 'Why won't the Premier,' is an argument from the first three words.

The SPEAKER: What I propose to do is to hear out the leader for just a moment longer in terms of framing the question. The leader has the call.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier assure the people of South Australia that all beds within our hospital system are currently being used and, if not, why not?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:05): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. What we have done since coming to government is to listen to the people within SA Health about the types of resources that they require, and we have provided those resources. In fact, I am very proud to be leading a government which has put more than $2.1 billion worth of new money on the table for SA Health, not just money which has been required for the very successful response to the coronavirus in South Australia but money to actually fix the mess that we inherited from those opposite when they were in government with their failed policy of Transforming Health.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They hate us talking about Transforming Health. I anticipate that somebody is going to jump up any time now and say, 'Don't mention Transforming Health.' That's what they have been told in the caucus and that's what they have been told in their media briefing: 'Don't go near this issue.' But we can't move away from this issue because Transforming Health was a failed policy which has seriously undermined the ability of our state to respond—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to the surges that come from time to time. That's why, in addition to the $2.1 billion worth of new money which has gone into the health budget in South Australia, I am very proud to lead a government which is putting in more than $1 billion worth of new money to upgrade our facilities in South Australia.

What those opposite did when they were in government, of course, was to close a hospital—they closed the Repat hospital. The Leader of the Opposition should hang his head in shame for the damage that he and his government inflicted upon the health system in South Australia. What have we done by contrast? More doctors, more nurses, more paramedics, more beds, and more beds being built as we speak—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —more beds being built as we speak. Only a few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to head down to the Flinders Medical Centre. This is the busiest emergency department in our state. Very soon it will be the largest emergency department in our state. In fact, on Friday this week, my understanding is that we will open a further six treatment bays in that hospital, and by the middle of the year we will have had a 50 per cent increase in the treatment spaces at the Flinders Medical Centre.

Those opposite presided over the downgrading of nearly all our hospitals in South Australia. They were downgrading Noarlunga Hospital, they were downgrading Modbury Hospital, they were downgrading The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, and of course—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —they closed the Repat. That is their heritage, their result. By contrast, what we're doing is reinvesting in our health services in South Australia and, to the credit of SA Health, they have had their foot to the floor trying to undo the mess of the previous government whilst dealing with a global pandemic.

South Australia has responded very professionally to a pandemic which is gripping the world. I think South Australia compares extraordinarily favourably with just about any other jurisdiction in the world, certainly any other jurisdiction in this country, but they haven't lost sight of the fact that they still need to significantly improve the health system that we as a government inherited from those opposite three years ago.

With more than $2 billion worth of new money into the health budget, more than a billion dollars going into infrastructure upgrades, much of that work is being done at the moment. That includes work at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, the Flinders Medical Centre, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Modbury Hospital, the Mount Barker hospital, the Gawler Health Service, the Southern Fleurieu Health Service, and the Murray Bridge hospital promised and already delivered.

I was up there the other day with the member for Hammond, and I tell you that the people in Murray Bridge and the surrounding districts are very, very happy because those opposite were neglecting health—especially country health—in South Australia, and what they have now is just chalk and cheese, and there is plenty more to be done.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader, I call to order the member for Hammond. I call to order the member for Cheltenham, the member for Hurtle Vale, the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the member for Playford and the member for Kaurna.