State Budget

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:28): My question is to the Premier. Premier, why is your state budget projecting fewer staff in the Women's and Children's Health Network than there were before you were elected? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: The 2021-22 state budget projects 2,734 staff in the Women's and Children's Hospital Network, whereas the actual figure from 2017-18 was 2,743—a higher number than you are projecting next year.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:29): I refer the member back to my previous answer. There is a big difference between budget and actual. What we have seen over the entire SA Health is an increase in the budget each year, but the actual has sometimes gone even further because we have sometimes had to have that ability to surge the capacity as it is actually needed. I think SA Health has done an excellent job in being able to surge that capacity to meet, for example, those requirements for the coronavirus. They have done it since we have come to government, and I'm quite sure they will continue to do it into the future.