Question Time

Ambulance Ramping

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:14): Supplementary question to the Premier: why is the Premier telling the house that one of the reasons for ramping increasing by 500 per cent is an increase in hospital presentations when the latest data that his government released shows that there had been a reduction of presentations compared to 2019?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:14): I would be very pleased—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader is called to order. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would be very pleased for the member for Kaurna to check the Hansard. I was very clear with what I said. I said there was an increase right around the country and there were many reasons for that, and I went through and listed what those—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Kaurna! The deputy leader! The member for Wright is on a second warning.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They are clearly not interested in the answers. They are experts when it comes to health. They, in fact, were the authors of Transforming Health, that fantastic program which supported our state health system so remarkably well—not. The reality is that they don't even mention Transforming Health anymore. All they are interested in doing is firing salvos off against SA Health, which is doing an outstanding job.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: All we hear from those opposite is the undermining of the excellent health response we have had in South Australia. We have endured a most tumultuous time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Many other systems around the world have struggled. In South Australia, I think that most South Australians appreciate just how good our health system is. Of course, there are many opportunities to improve the health system in South Australia and that's why we are currently investing a record amount in the health system in our state. I don't have the statistics directly in front of me, but I seem to recall that when we came to government the expenditure in the health system was just $5.8 billion per year. I think it's now up in excess of $7 billion per year. Last year—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Playford!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the Auditor-General, after the spurious comments made in the media by members opposite that we had slashed doctors, slashed nurses and slashed healthcare workers—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, deputy leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —brought down his report and clearly showed that there were more than 1,000 additional healthcare workers in the system last year. I think it's better to deal with facts. It's always better to deal with facts. The Auditor-General has done that independent analysis of the facts and there are more people employed in the health system—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and the budget is much greater and of course that is before we announced our COVID-ready significant increases where we will see approximately a further 1,900 people employed in the healthcare sector in South Australia.

We understand the pressure that our health system is under. Every health system in the country—in fact, every health system in the world—has been tested with the coronavirus. I put it to you, sir, that very few have stood up as well as SA Health has.

But we always need to continuously improve and that's why this government is investing a record amount of money in terms of the operating budget and a record amount of money in terms of the capital budget, and we will continue to do that, opening additional beds within our emergency department capability across the state, always looking for new models of care which better serve our patients here in South Australia, and making sure that we have the requisite resources in South Australia. Those opposite have been in opposition for almost four years. We are yet to see anything regarding health, apart from carping, complaining, whingeing and whining.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That's what they have done.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: It won't be a basketball stadium.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Instead, sir, what you have seen from this government is a commitment to right the wrongs inflicted upon the people of South Australia with Transforming Health, like for example—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the closure of the Repat, which broke the hearts of South Australians. Now we go down—

Ms Hildyard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Reynell!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —there and it's a vibrant health community. They closed it. We're expanding it. We're investing more in health. There is more to do.