Ministerial Responsibility

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (15:16): Supplementary: after the minister signed the briefing, he says there was ongoing discussions about the issues raised. I just want to be very clear about that, that after he signed the briefing, there continued to be ongoing discussions and he knows that from his own knowledge.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:16): It is more actually common sense. The fact of the matter is, the issue of why the privacy screens were being erected was a matter for public debate at the time. The former government, now the opposition, was trying to suggest that it was about hiding ambulance ramping in spite of the fact that anybody who goes to the RAH knows full well that that screen does nothing to stop people being able to see it.

I presume that the diligent minister the honourable member is referring to, minister Malinauskas, would have been briefed in February and March because it was certainly being discussed in government in those months. The fact of the matter is, I have no doubt that an issue of public debate such as that I would have continued to have discussions about with my office, my department and my colleagues elsewhere in government.