Aged-Care CCTV Trial

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about the trial of CCTV cameras in residential care facilities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In April last year, 14 months ago, the government made the claim that South Australia would 'lead the nation in the rollout of the cutting-edge surveillance and monitoring system in aged-care facilities to better protect the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable residents'. That plan hit a hurdle when the government's preferred partner, respected UK company Care Protect, which specialises in audiovisual monitoring systems and services in aged-care facilities, quit in despair, citing conflicts of interest with senior SA Health bureaucrats overseeing a proposed pilot program, which was to be funded with a $500,000 federal government grant.

On 12 November last year, that's seven months ago, the minister in this chamber said that the new tender documents for the pilot program had been sent out to potential providers a week earlier. On 20 February this year, the minister told this chamber, 'The process for the identification of the preferred providers is underway.' There is now growing concern in the aged-care sector that the pilot program could be abandoned because the government hasn't been able to find a company in Australia with the same level of competence and technology as Care Protect.

My question to the minister is: has the government abandoned its aged-care CCTV pilot program and, if not, has a tender been awarded? When does he expect the trial to begin? How much of the $500,000 federal government grant has been spent already?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:34): I thank the honourable member for his question. I can assure you the CCTV trial has not been abandoned. The tender process is progressing and an announcement will be made when it is concluded.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Supplementary question.