SA Ambulance Service

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. How is the state government investment in the SA Ambulance Service supporting the growing population of the north?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:37): First and foremost, the member will be very aware that we have under construction at the moment the new ambulance station for Gawler, which has been long overdue. Not only have we expanded the ambulance capacity of Gawler but the existing station was far too small for the facilities that we needed, so we have had to invest in building a brand-new ambulance station for Gawler, which has been well welcomed by the community. It is in a location that the SA Ambulance Service believes will give ready access to the community for those emergencies when they happen.

But we also have our mind to the fact that there is an expanding population in the northern suburbs as well, more broadly than Gawler, and we need to make sure that the ambulance services in the northern suburbs reflect that. That is why we are very excited that in last year's state budget we were able to commit to a new ambulance station at Two Wells. Just last week, I was with the member at Two Wells where we released the plans for the new ambulance station, which will be built in a strategic location at Two Wells, designed by Grieve Gillett Architects.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert, would you mind listening to the Minister for Health in silence? Thank you.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: I am not sure why they are against the Two Wells ambulance station, but that is typical of their approach to ambulance services over the past seven years.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: They don't like investment in the northern suburbs. Very clearly, the Two Wells population is growing, there are new subdivisions happening in that area, and in fact the projections are that the Two Wells population will double. They are currently being served by the Mallala volunteer station, which is clearly not going to be appropriate when you are looking at that growing population.

So, not only will we have the new ambulance facilities, but we are also bringing on board the Two Wells ambulance crew, which initially will be based at Gawler with outreach to Two Wells, then once we have built this new ambulance station they will be based in the Two Wells community, providing care for not only that catchment but across Riverlea, Mallala, Dublin, potentially even reaching as far as Virginia, across all of those areas which are expanding very rapidly as well.

The paramedics for Two Wells will begin in November this year based out at Gawler and then will transfer to the new Two Wells station which will open towards the end of next year as well. We were there with the Mayor of the Adelaide Plains Council as well, and there has been lots of consultation with the council about this new development. We are excited to see that development happen to make sure that we can meet that need for those emergencies. I am advised that in just the past year in that catchment area, some 1,500 emergencies were responded to by the SA Ambulance Service, highlighting why we need to invest in that area to make sure that we are meeting the needs of the growing population.

While I appreciate the member's interest in this and his lobbying and support for this, I was surprised that we never had any advocacy for this from the current member for Frome. In fact, the only time we had any contact from her was after the Treasurer announced it in the state budget when she sent me a letter saying, 'I welcome this investment.' But there was no lobbying for it beforehand. I think that this is something where, clearly, having a member advocating passionately for the area of Two Wells and surrounds is going to be critically important into the future. I thank the member for Light for doing so.