Repatriation General Hospital

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:17): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. It is seven months after you won office and you promised to reopen the Repat. When will you actually treat one single patient there, and why did you tell ABC radio three months ago that 'we're ready with Repat beds', yet still no-one has been treated in the Repat hospital?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:18): I thank the honourable member for her question through you, Mr President. It is only possible for the honourable member to ask me this question because the party that she is part of was defeated at the last election. It was this party that fought against the closure of the Repat.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let the minister answer.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: It was this government that fought against the closure of the Repat. It was this government that stopped the sale of the Repat. It is this government that has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars remediating the facilities. It is this government that has consulted widely about the plan going forward, and we are currently negotiating to reopen beds ahead of the finalisation of the master plan. We need to coordinate the opening of beds with the implementation of the master plan, and we will continue to deliver on our commitments.