Flinders Medical Centre Hydrotherapy Services

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:38): My questions are for the Minister for Health.

1. Will the minister give an undertaking that the hydrotherapy pool in the main building at FMC will continue to operate to meet the needs of the community as long as the Daw Park hydrotherapy pool isn't available?

2. On what basis does the government consider the demand for hydrotherapy services has reduced such that the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network can go from two pools to one?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:38): I thank the honourable member for her question. I have an important announcement to make. This Liberal government—sorry, the Liberal opposition earlier today decided—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: —if they were in government they would do this. Their position is to replicate government policy. What an astounding effort! They have been in opposition for in excess of 15 years and they have decided in the lead-up to the next state election that the new tactic they are going to apply when it comes to policy announcement is to copy the government's policy. It is somewhat extraordinary.

We have built a brand-new hydrotherapy pool at the Flinders Medical Centre. I know there are a lot of residents and workers in SALHN who are looking forward to getting access to that pool. We are currently in the process of transitioning off the Repat site. It is an extensive, methodical logistical effort that is underway as we speak. It is very much our hope that that goes as smoothly as what occurred in the case of the move from the ORAH to the NRAH. Once the transition is complete, all Southern Adelaide Local Health Network (SALHN) users who require hydrotherapy access will get it at the Flinders Medical Centre.

Regarding the Repat site, the Liberal Party knows all too well what the government's position is on this particular issue because they have cloned it. We are going to make sure that we work with the ACH Group to ensure that that pool continues to operate in the interests of those people who live in and around the Repat site. At the Flinders Medical Centre, there is a brand-new pool which will be accessed by all those people who require hydrotherapy and other associated services.