Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:54): Supplementary arising from the original answer: why hasn't the government released a task force report and business case received by the government into the project 15 months ago, which would relate to all the questions and answers that have been given, and will the minister now release that report?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:54): I can assure the honourable member he is operating under a misapprehension. The previous reports of the task force don't answer those questions because they were preliminary work to which this process continues.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: What have you got to hide?

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The honourable member challenges me, 'What have you got to hide?' If people want to hide and be embarrassed, I think the Labor Party should hide and be embarrassed. They were the party that wanted to suggest to the children of South Australia that they could have half a hospital left at North Adelaide for an indeterminate period. It is this government, in spite of all the challenges that were left to us by the former government in terms of financial and other challenges, particularly in relation to health services, who were up to the challenge.

With the ongoing, resolute support of Treasurer Lucas, we are committed to this project, unlike those who, like a horse at the first hurdle, balked and said, 'We are going to leave half the hospital at North Adelaide. We don't mind leaving children without medical retrieval. We don't mind separating mothers who have had difficult births from their infant babies. No, we don't care about that, we just need to get a promise for the next election. We will leave the kids at North Adelaide.'

The Hon. J.E. HANSON: Point of order: I asked when they are going to release the report. None of this really goes to that. I just want to know when they are going to release it or if they are going to release it. That is the answer I am after.

The PRESIDENT: I am sure the minister is about to draw to a conclusion. Minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I am not aware of any plans to release any reports shortly.