Kangaroo Island Health Services

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:01): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing on the topic of the potential health outcomes as a result of the impact of drilling in the Great Australian Bight, with particular regard to access to health care on Kangaroo Island.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: The population of Kangaroo Island already has to often travel off-island to access health services beyond those that can be provided by the local GPs. While the Royal Flying Doctor Service provides transport in emergency situations, hundreds of islanders travel via ferry every single month for essential health care, including time-sensitive services such as radiology, chemotherapy and dialysis.

However, as we would all be aware in this chamber, with the current proposal for Equinor to drill in the Great Australian Bight, residents currently feel uncertain that there is no clear plan for the provision of reliable and timely health care in the event of a spill. If there was a spill, a capping stack would have to come from Singapore. This would take quite a significant amount of time, in which case, as we know, we could see Kangaroo Island isolated. Logically, there could be an impact on the ability of ferries and other vessels to operate normally, and it could potentially isolate this small island, causing significant health impacts. My questions to the minister are:

1. What work has been undertaken to ensure there are emergency management plans specific to the needs of Kangaroo Island should there be such an isolating incident, be that the Great Australian Bight being drilled or otherwise?

2. Is that emergency plan the domain of the local health network or of someone else within SA Health?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:03): I thank the honourable member for her question. I am not aware of any work. I will certainly have to take that on notice and bring back the answer.