Question Time

Plympton Veterans Centre

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (16:13): My question is to the Premier. Will the government reinstate the lease arrangements that were in place under the former Liberal government for the Plympton Veterans Centre to provide vital support services at the Repat? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The former Liberal government has granted a $1 per year licence fee for the Plympton Veterans Centre to run a support service at the Repat for veterans, including people dealing with PTSD; however, the opposition has been told that SA Health has sent them a bill for $12,051 plus GST for the past two years.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (16:14): I can inform the member and the house that I became aware of this issue about two weeks ago, raised by a number of members of parliament. Louise Miller-Frost, the member for Boothby, and also the member for Elder raised this with me and I immediately took action to make sure that that invoice was waived and reinstated at the $1 peppercorn value. That was announced on a social media post—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left, please listen to the answer in silence.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: 'Why don't you fix it?' 'Oh, we fixed it.' 'How dare you fix it.' That is the line that we are getting today. So the fact that that was waived was announced by Louise Miller-Frost on her social media about a week and a half ago or about a week before there was a story in the paper or online about it. This is a very important service. We support the Plympton Veterans Centre in the work that they do and will continue to do so, and they continue to have my full support.