Ambulance Services

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:24): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding ambulances.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: The government's ambulance report makes three recommendations including to increase ambulance capacity and to boost senior clinical support to assist in triaging ambulance call-outs. In his brief written response to the report's release and recommendations, the minister claimed the government was 'investing additional resources'. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister commit to implementing all three report recommendations in full?

2. Can the minister identify the additional resources he was referring to in his public statements?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:24): I thank the honourable member for her question and refer her to my previous answer.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: No, I'm sorry, will you let me go on? Can I answer?

The PRESIDENT: Order! No-one can hear the minister so how do you know what he is saying?

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: As I said, I refer the honourable member to my previous answer where I highlighted—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Leader of the Opposition is out of order.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —the fact that the chief executive is specifically looking at the opportunity for the clinical telephone assessment service—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —to support the desk-based function in terms of maintaining line of sight. That to me sounds like—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Resume your seat, minister. I would like to hear the end of the minister's answer. I don't think anybody else is hearing it at the moment because there is a lot of shouting going on, and some of that has been contributed by members on my right.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Mr President, this is a growing pattern by the opposition. If they don't like the answer they try to yell it down. If you ask a question—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —and I've got an answer I'm going to give it whether you like it or not.