Question Time

Health System

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): Just before budget time I note, sir. My question is to the Premier. Are ramping, long ED wait times and postponed surgeries the new normal? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: In response to the Australian Medical Association 2025 ambulance report card, the President of the AMA, Dr John Williams, was quoted in The Advertiser as saying the following:

It's no secret ramping has been getting worse. The AMA's Ambulance Ramping Report Card highlights just how bad things have become in a relatively short space of time…My concern is that ramping, long ED wait-times and postponed surgeries have almost become the 'new normal'.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:40): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. This government shares the concerns made by a number, including ourselves, in respect of the challenge we see in our public hospitals, particularly in our emergency departments. While, of course, the government is very keen to point out the substantial improvement we have had in ambulance response times, we absolutely accept that it shouldn't be a new normal in terms of the challenge we see within emergency departments.

I think, as is well documented—and I speak to my interstate colleagues of both political persuasions, premiers around the country, as I know the health minister does enjoy good relationships with his equivalent in other jurisdictions, again from both sides of the political aisle—the challenges that we are seeing in public hospitals, which are in effect uniform around the country, should not be allowed to become a new normal.

The principal question before governments writ large of all political colours and hues at the moment is: what more can we do to confront that challenge? Certainly, here as a state—and this is certainly a topic of discussion as we finalise this year's state budget—we remain steadfast in our resolve to invest additional resources that are required, not just because it is about throwing money at the problem but because the reality is we've got an ageing population and a growing population, and that is true around the country.

You can't have a smaller system and expect to do more. You do need to have a bigger system with more capacity to be able to confront the massive increase in demand. Of course, to that end, we couldn't be creating more supply of services no matter how much more money we put into it, because we are moving at flat strap to invest in that capacity. Let's talk about what that looks like in a bit of detail.

We are building more than 600 new beds. We committed to 300 new beds in the four-year term; we are going to be delivering 600 new beds into the system. The new beds—and there are a lot of new beds coming online this year—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is on his final warning. You have been doing nothing but interjecting in the three minutes that question time has been going on.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: New beds are coming online this calendar year at Hampstead, Flinders Medical Centre, Noarlunga, the Lyell Mac, Modbury, QEH and Mount Gambier, and then also with Drug and Alcohol Services at Elizabeth. That is happening this year. On top of that, we know that there is a lot more to come beyond this year, particularly at the Flinders Medical Centre or indeed at Mount Barker, which I know the member for Kavel is well familiar with and understands the desperate need for, which in effect triples the capacity at Mount Barker.

These are massive investments in the physical infrastructure to accommodate the ageing population that we have here in the state. Beyond that, of course, we've got other investments at hospitals in regional South Australia which are important to recognise as well: Gawler, KI, Keith, I mentioned Mount Barker, Mount Gambier, Naracoorte, Port Augusta, Pirie, Victor, Clare, Leigh Creek, Bordertown, Wallaroo and Whyalla. They are all enjoying big investments. But on top of that there are the people. In the first two years of this government, we have recruited more than 1,400 extra health workers above attrition: 691 extra nurses, 329 extra doctors, 219 ambos and 198 allied health workers. We will keep investing to do what is required to make a difference.