Question Time

Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding ambulance ramping. Minister, with so many involved in the ambulance services tuning into question time today in both chambers, and the release of the report into ramping that chronicles systemic failures leading to individual tragedies, will you now apologise for the ramping crisis?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:22): I thank the honourable member for his question. This government is determined to eliminate ambulance ramping. It is a blight that this government inherited from the previous government and the—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The leader should listen to the answer to the question he asked.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: The honourable member was directly referring to a report commissioned by the Chief Psychiatrist into ramping. I would just point out to—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I would point out to the honourable member—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that all of the cases cited in that report occurred in 2018. Some of them may well have happened before this government even came to office. They reflect the legacy of ramping—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that we were left by the former Labor government.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hunter is out of order. Has the minister concluded his answer? The Hon. Ms Scriven.