Grievance Debate

Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (15:11): Today we have seen a scandalous revelation, absolutely scandalous revelation in relation to the new Women's and Children's Hospital, where board minutes were leaked to the media unveiling that there is a delay to the completion of the new Women's and Children's Hospital.

Of course, what we see is sheer incompetence from this government, this minister and this Premier, the same government that in recent times—not that long ago—led changes such as Transforming Health, and we have seen how that has gone. Do not forget that it is also the same Premier that shut down the Repat hospital many years ago. Today, generally he does not struggle to get off his feet and actually say a few words but, alas, he sent out the defender in the health minister to answer the most basic of questions about this very, very important matter.

The minister could not say with any certainty when he got the most up-to-date cost estimates in relation to what will be the biggest build not only in South Australia but the biggest building in Australia. He could not answer basic questions in relation to whether he actually reads the board minutes of said hospital, and also told us that he meets regularly with the CEO. If he was meeting about this particular hospital and meeting that CEO and there were some issues with the minutes, would you not identify those minutes?

Alas, what has happened is that many months have gone by and it is only through these events being leaked to the media, and the minister acknowledging that he has a serious problem, that we finally get a discussion about this very important topic today. Overnight we have seen official government documents—and this is not just any whistleblower, these are the minutes of the board that have been leaked to the media—disputing claims from the minister about when the new Women's and Children's Hospital will actually be completed.

We are not talking about delays of months; we are talking about delays of years. As we have been told, every month that there is a delay could cost millions and millions of dollars. A delay of three years might well cost the taxpayers of South Australia anything from $300 million to $400 million.

What is this Labor government really trying to hide? Today we saw three dates that were given in terms of the completion of the hospital. One date was provided by the minister, another date was provided by the Premier, and then we had another date provided by the board of this—

An honourable member: The experts.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: That is exactly right, the experts. Do not forget, these are apolitical board members doing their job as stewards of this critical project to the state's future. It is the same minister who overblew his budget and many millions and millions of dollars in the last budget. How does this guy keep his job is what I want to know.

Meanwhile, this government is running interference, playing spin the message, gaslighting the South Australian public, saying 'There's nothing to see here.' Well, this Labor government are having a laugh if they think that they can continue to hoodwink the people of South Australia. You should have heard the radio this morning. We heard the Premier. He said in regards to procurement that:

…absolute final procurement for the project with whoever builds the main components of it isn't until the second half of next year and that's when we'll get absolute clarity on the cost…

Make no mistake about this. What this government is doing is acting completely politically. It is all about the political game. They are kicking this can down the road because they know they are running this state into the ground. They are running up the debt. First it is the tunnels that go from $9.9 billion to $15 billion. This project here was at $1.9 billion and is all the way up to $3.2 billion. Wait until their mates in the CFMEU get involved. They are just kicking this can down the road, beyond the forward estimates, beyond the next budget, beyond the next state election, and it is the taxpayers of South Australia that will pay. They will pay dearly.

And it is not just the taxpayers of South Australia. Unfortunately it is sick kids in this state that are going to pay, and it is the mums and babies that need this hospital and need it built, but instead they are being treated as a political pawn by this minister and this government.

Shortly after, the health minister said on radio that the completion date is 2030-31. Well, which one is it? Is it 2030-31, is it 2031-32 or is it 2033-34? Which one is it? This is the same Labor that botched Transforming Health and caused chaos in the health system, and it is the same Labor Premier who as health minister shut the Repat hospital. Unfortunately, what it does feel like is it feels like Groundhog Day. It is Groundhog Day.

I think most people in this house all want the same thing. We want a brilliant, state-of-the-art hospital that is befitting the brilliant state that we live in. But on the current timeline, unfortunately, a child born in 2013, when Labor first announced a hospital, will celebrate their 21^st birthday before it is built. Our hardworking doctors and nurses, our sick children and their families deserve far better than the chaos that is currently reigning under this incompetent minister.