SA Pathology

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (16:05): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health regarding SA Pathology.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: On 17 February 2015, the member for Chaffey said the following:

'They're on call and they come out at any hour to provide a service and that's something that if pathology were to be privatised, may not occur anymore.

'Potentially, we could have also seen higher charges for pathology tests.'

My question to the minister is: does the minister agree with the member for Chaffey's comments that privatising SA Pathology could lead to higher charges?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (16:05): As I said in relation to the comments of the honourable member for Stuart, I am not going to give a commentary on comments by members of the other place. What I am accountable to this house for is the commitments of this government and the commitment that we have made in the budget to make sure that we maintain quality services for South Australians.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I can't hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Quality services for South Australians in an efficient and effective way. That is why we have announced the Pricewaterhouse review, which will be underway for about six months. But let's highlight the hypocrisy of Labor, when it comes—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, hold for a moment. Can the Hon. Mr Ridgway and the Hon. Mr Wortley cease their conversation because I cannot hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: If the honourable member is suggesting that the privatisation or outsourcing is somehow anathema to good public health services then I would ask him: why did the former Labor government run radiology services through Modbury Hospital and through Noarlunga Hospital?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: At least part of the services at the Lyell McEwin Hospital are provided by private providers.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, honourable Leader of the Opposition, I literally cannot hear the minister. Minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: And in relation to—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister. I cannot hear the minister, therefore I cannot rule on any point of order that you may wish to bring up. Minister, can we just start again on that little bit.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Yes, I do humbly apologise to the Chair for not having made the points more clearly. In relation to the hypocrisy of Labor suggesting that outsourcing or privatisation is anathema to public health, let the Labor Party explain: why did they therefore provide radiology services at Modbury and Noarlunga through private providers and a significant portion of the radiology services at Lyell McEwin through private providers? In relation to quality—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Minister, sit down. Point of order.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Sir, now that you have had an opportunity to hear what the minister has been saying, it doesn't come anywhere near to answering what was asked. A question was asked about the member for Chaffey's comments. He has not referred to that at all, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: Various parliamentary commentaries allow the minister some latitude to answer the question. If I could listen to the minister then I would be able to rule on your point of order. Minister, continue.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: If there was any sense in the honourable member's question, there was some implication that private services could not be quality and safe. What I would say to the members opposite is: why, therefore, are there 14 country hospitals—14 country hospitals—where the radiology services were provided by your government through the private sector? What hypocrisy!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: And this is the opposition who, when they were in government, established the largest privatisation deal ever in the state's history: the NRAH. Twenty-nine years left, $11 billion—$1 million a day you are giving to a private company because you thought that privatisation was such a good idea. In relation to other services that the former Labor government provided through the private sector, there are five metropolitan hospitals that receive a significant portion of their hotel services through the private sector: Flinders Medical Centre, Modbury Hospital, Lyell McEwin, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Women's and Children's Hospital health services.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I cannot hear the minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: It doesn't stop there. We even have four agencies in SA Health, and SA Health had actually engaged the private sector in transporting patients. Apparently, it's okay for Labor to have radiology by the private sector, hotel services by the private sector, patient transport by the private sector, but—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Sorry, the NRAH: $11 billion, $1 million dollars a day, 29 years. The hypocrisy of the current opposition is amazing. It is as though on 17 March they went through some sort of time warp and suddenly rediscovered their values, that private is bad. What the people of South Australia need to understand when they hear the hypocrisy from the opposition is: why did they keep doing it in radiology when they were in government? Why did they keep doing patient transport through the private sector? And what was the other one?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Hotel services. There are lots. There are just too many examples. I am having trouble remembering them all. What I can assure the people of South Australia is that we will not be dissuaded by the hypocrisy of the Labor opposition in delivering quality safe services to the people of South Australia.

The Hon. J.E. Hanson: Supplementary, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: Unfortunately, the Hon. Mr Hanson, the time has actually expired, on the clock that I go off at least. Perhaps you can save it for tomorrow.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.P. Wortley interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Have we finished, the Hon. Mr Wortley?

The Hon. R.P. Wortley: I wouldn't go to Port Augusta if I was you.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley, you have had your say.