Question Time

Influenza Vaccinations

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about influenza.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: South Australia's horror influenza season is reaching crisis point. It has been reported that it has resulted in the death of 17 people and 12,339 cases so far this year, compared with just 1,348 last year, with 53 nursing homes reporting outbreaks and 18 of them in lockdown. My question to the minister is: what specific action has he taken to combat the outbreak, and what specific action has the Premier requested the minister to take?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:23): This government started preparing for this flu season soon after it was elected. I am very proud of the fact that—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let the minister answer.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Through you, Mr President, I am very proud that soon after we were elected we introduced free flu vaccinations for children under the age of five and over the age of six months. We are delivering that program for the second time this year—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —and that is a vital step in dealing with influenza outbreaks and, to be frank, it may well have been a more significant increase in influenza notifications if that step had not been taken. In terms of the preparations for the 2019—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I can't hear the minister. If you want to hear his answer.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: They don't want to hear it, Mr President.

The PRESIDENT: I don't require suggestions from you, the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

The Hon. R.P. Wortley: You should be ashamed of yourself.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley, please.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: It just shows the shallowness of the members opposite—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, he does not need emotional guidance from you.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that they think that I should be ashamed for providing children under the age of five free flu vaccinations. I'm not ashamed of that; I'm proud of it. I am proud that this government not only has rolled out a free flu vaccination for children under the age of five and over the age of six months, we have also rolled out the world's first meningococcal B vaccination program for children—I should have said Australia's first—and a world first vaccination program for young people; very proud.

In terms of the preparation for this flu season I'm also proud that SA Health took the step of increasing the vaccination orders, through the National Immunisation Program, by 10 per cent. They wanted to make sure that our supply was secured moving forward. That SA Health team, in terms of the response to the vaccination program, also brought—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Ms Scriven you have the call.