SA Ambulance Service

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:14): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding ambulances. What did the minister mean when he said on Channel 9 News on 21 February, 'It's a bit rich' for paramedics to raise concerns about an inability to reach emergency patients?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (15:15): Again, the honourable member disappoints me. That is clearly a misquote. I was referring to the union bosses.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Union bosses might think that they earn their money by dragging out industrial proceedings, but in my view they do their own members a disservice because they delay the opportunity for the government, the employees' representatives and the paramedics to deal with reform.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Leader of the Opposition will remain silent.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I think that, in a modern industrial relations system, the employees expect their representatives to work in their interests, and I can't see how bogging down—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —for the fourth year in industrial spaghetti does any benefit to the members.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Dr Centofanti has the call and will be heard in silence.