New Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): My question is to the Minister for Health. Has the minister spoken with the executive lead for the new Women's and Children's Hospital project, Jane Jennings, about the minutes of the board meeting held on 17 November 2024 and, if so, what was the nature of that conversation? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Ms Jennings presented an update to the board on 17 November and included the fact that the new Women's and Children's Hospital completion was projected by 2033-34.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:10): As I previously explained, I have spoken to Christine Dennis. I have outlined my conversation with her. I haven't spoken to other officers about this in the Women's and Children's Health Network. I have been focused on my job in terms of delivering health services for this state, as are all of those officers. I have to say, as well as Rebecca Graham being an excellent public servant, Jane Jennings is an excellent public servant. We are very well served by these officers who are working very hard to deliver health services and also to provide that input in terms of the planning of the new hospital as well to make sure that project delivers what we need for the women and children of this state in the future.

I am very happy to continue to answer questions on this, but I am also not sure what it is that the opposition is proposing that they would do differently. I am not sure what it is that they are proposing that they would do differently. In terms of the key policy decisions here, the government has made the policy decision to build this hospital on a bigger site, with more capacity, with more beds, to meet the future needs of this state long into the future. We've got the projections of when that's expected to be complete—by the end of 2031. If the opposition has a different alternative, if they have a different proposal, if they have got a different plan, then they should put that out there, and the people can decide at the next election which proposal for this new hospital people want to back.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: You don't have the call, leader, and I warn you for your interjections and for using the Christian name of the minister instead of using his parliamentary term, which is the correct way of addressing a minister.