Kalimna Hostel Site

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about the Kalimna hostel in Strathalbyn.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Aged-care residents in the region were left stranded when the hostel was closed in 2016 due to it not meeting fire safety standards. In a media release dated 20 December 2017, the minister said that, if elected at the 2018 state election, the Liberals would invest $1.1 million in the hostel and would, and I quote, 'see the community decide its future as either for accommodation for the aged or transform it into an aged allied health centre'. Then, in May last year, the minister announced the commencement of a business case to determine the future of the hostel. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the government still intend to develop an aged-care healthcare centre as sought by the Strathalbyn community and, if not, why not?

2. If the government intends to develop the aged-care allied health centre, when does it intend to commence the redevelopment, what services will be available to the Strathalbyn community, and will private providers have an opportunity to co-locate with government services?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:55): I can assure the honourable member that this is a government committed to delivering on its promises and Kalimna is no different. In relation to Kalimna, we have had ongoing discussions with the people at Strathalbyn in terms of the development of the residential aged-care facility on the western side of the main street—High Street, I think—in Strathalbyn.

On the western side, you have a residential aged-care facility where the Morrison federal Liberal government and the Marshall state Liberal government are investing in a superb residential aged-care facility. On the eastern side is the former Kalimna site, which was closed overnight by the former Labor government without any consultation with the residents, any consultation with the community. That was a slap in the face for a community that had raised money in the 1980s so that the people of Strathalbyn and districts could continue to receive the aged care that they need.

So this government, a consultative government, committed to consulting with the community, and we have done exactly that in relation to the development of the residential aged-care facility. We have also done the same in terms of the former Kalimna hostel on the eastern side. The community, both before the election and after the election, have been consistent that they would prefer the Kalimna site to be used for aged accommodation. We have gone out for an RFI, I think it's called; it's one of those processes. A preferred partner has been identified and discussions are ongoing with that party to deliver on our commitment.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bonaros, a supplementary.