COVID-19 Testing Clinics

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:12): My question is to the Premier. Why has there been no permanent testing site in either the District Council of Robe or the Kingston District Council? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: On Friday last week, there were two exposure sites identified in Kingston South East and on Tuesday this week six exposure sites were identified in Robe. However, the government has previously established no permanent testing sites in either Kingston South East or Robe, with the closest testing available an hour's drive away in Millicent.

It took until Wednesday afternoon for a pop-up testing site to be made available in Robe and, even then, it was only opened yesterday for two hours. Last week, the Premier told the public that he had ensured we had adequate SA Pathology capacity availability right across the state.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:13): I just took the opportunity to get some advice with regard to the question that the member was asking previously about the lack of testing capability in and around the Lyell McEwin Hospital. I am reliably informed that we do have testing just a few metres away at the Gould Road site and then very close and adjacent at 185 Philip Highway, Elizabeth.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Two sites that would be within a kilometre of the site—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hurtle Vale is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that those opposite are complaining about closing down.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't know about those opposite, but I don't find it—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is called to order. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I will take the question with regard to Robe on notice and get a response. We do know that Robe has exceptionally high vaccination rates, and I do want to acknowledge the community at Robe for making sure that they have done everything they possibly can to protect their community.

But, as I said in the answer to the first question that those asked today, we are going to have cases in South Australia. Three or four months ago, a single case could set off a cluster that would lock down the state. That's not the case now because we have been able to reduce that transmission potential to a much lower level and because I think we do have effective test, trace, isolate and quarantine, and we still do have adequate public health and social measures in place.

But we do have a period over the next couple of weeks when we will see more cases in South Australia, and we will learn better methodologies for how we treat these going forward, and testing is an important part of it. It was important for us to get a mobile testing unit to Robe. This is the protocol that was put in place, and I thank the people of Robe for making sure that (1) they vaccinated themselves and (2) they have availed themselves of the PCR testing site, which is now in Robe.