ROYAL ADELAIDE HOSPITAL

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): My questions are to the Leader of the Government. My questions are:

1. Has the leader, as the third most senior member of the government, cabinet and caucus, received any formal or informal advice that cost of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital has blown out by somewhere around $1 billion and is now expected to cost $2.73 billion?

2. If the minister has not been informed, is that because he is so far out of the loop that his advice is neither sought nor warranted for influence, or is it because no-one in Mike Rann's office any longer trusts anybody outside Mike Rann's office?

The PRESIDENT: The minister should not bother answering parts of those questions; they are totally out of order.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:33): I thank the leader for his question. It is good to see that they have at least moved on from knocking over tin sheds to talking about something more substantial, the cost of the new state-of-art Royal Adelaide Hospital. Of course, no contractual arrangement has been entered into at this time for the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. When that happens, I am sure honourable members will be made well aware of it. Any financial matters in relation to the Royal Adelaide Hospital will be published in the budget.