SA Ambulance Service

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:28): 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: In 2017, in response to the death of a patient, the now Premier said, and I quote:

There's no doubt that we now need an independent inquiry into this issue. If it turns out that ramping at hospitals meant that an ambulance wasn't available, then Jack Snelling has some very serious questions to answer.

My question to the minister is: does the minister maintain the standard the Liberal Party set in opposition that an independent inquiry should be held into every ambulance-related death?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:29): This government has a strong commitment to quality and safety, and that is why I, in this place and publicly—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley is out of order, as is the leader.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —have welcomed the Chief Executive Officer of the Ambulance Service—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call and will be heard in silence.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Thank you, Mr President. This government has a very strong commitment to quality and safety and that is—

The Hon. R.P. Wortley interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Sorry, Mr President, am I allowed to give an answer or aren't I?

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley—

The Hon. E.S. Bourke: And what's your track record?

The PRESIDENT: —and the Hon. Ms Bourke are not helping. The opposition has asked a question and I would like to hear the answer, even if the opposition doesn't. The minister has the call.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: As I said, this government is committed to quality and safety in ambulance service, and that is why I, in this place and publicly, have welcomed the internal review that the South Australian Ambulance Service undertook at the end of last year in relation to a case of delayed responses for lower acuity cases.

The calls of the then Leader of the Opposition of course are consistent with the former government's failure in a whole series of domains, most notably in relation to Oakden, to maintain quality and safety.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Ms Scriven has a supplementary.