COVID-19 Testing Clinics

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (15:03): My question is to the Premier. Why did the Victoria Park testing clinic turn away people last night from getting a COVID-19 test and again turn away people from getting a test this morning?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:04): I don't have details of that. It was reported that last night at about 8.15 they were providing advice to people at the end of the queue that they wouldn't get through by midnight. I think that is, quite frankly, pretty sensible, practical customer service. We know the time it takes to administer the COVID-19 PCR test. We have good data on that. We could see the number of cars that were there.

My understanding was that at about 8.15 there was advice from SA Health to the people at the back of the queue, saying, 'You're very unlikely to get through,' and I think that was good proactive advice provided to people who were doing the right thing and turning up. They could then get on with their evening or they could look at other sites. There was some capacity down at Adelaide Airport last night. My understanding is that that site was open until much later than 8.15, so they could look at other sites at that point in time.

As I said in my earlier answer, we have been very pleased with the sheer volume of people who came out yesterday for testing. In fact, we have only had 18 days above 5,000 tests administered in a single day in the history of the coronavirus. Yesterday, it was 7,500. I think that just shows you how responsive the people of South Australia are to the requests that went out yesterday from the Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, and from Grant Stevens, the commissioner and State Coordinator during this major emergency, and the declaration of course from myself.

I expect there will be large lines again today. We have significantly flexed up our capacity again today. It can't be done overnight, of course. You can't decide with half an hour or an hour's notice to double, treble or quadruple the capacity, but I've got to say that the response from SA Pathology yesterday was excellent. I spoke to Dr Tom Dodd midmorning yesterday and he advised of the types of capacity increases he was already putting in place.

I don't know what today's number will be. I have a feeling that it will be higher than 7,500. I know that the delays people are experiencing are very, very frustrating, but I thank the people of South Australia for doing the right thing. When they turn up and they suffer that inconvenience, at the same time they are keeping South Australia safe, and that's absolutely excellent news for our state.