SA Pathology

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:28): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: In The Transcontinental on 18 February 2015, the following piece was written:

'Privatising SA Pathology in Port Augusta would have been a very poor move so I think that the minister has made the only sensible decision available to him and I welcome it,' Mr Dan van Holst Pellekaan said.

Does the minister support the comments made by his representative in the other place, the member for Stuart, that privatising SA Pathology is 'a poor move'?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:29): I think I should remind honourable members what the government has announced. What the government has announced is that we are going to initiate a review by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which will commence in September and take six months, to look at how efficiencies can be delivered in SA Pathology.

I think the Treasurer also indicated that the government will need to look at other alternative strategies if SA Pathology can't achieve those reforms. There has been no commitment in terms of what will happen beyond the review. There has certainly been no decision made in relation to privatisation.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley, a supplementary?