Flinders Medical Centre

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:38): I have a supplementary, Mr President—this is going well. Given that there is record ramping, including 30 patients stuck in emergency waiting for a bed at Flinders Medical Centre today, how can you upgrade a hospital under such demand without any extra beds?

The PRESIDENT: The minister can answer that, but I don't see how that related to the original answer.

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:38): Please, please, let me go.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: This is bald-faced hypocrisy. This is a Labor Party that failed to invest in the Flinders Medical Centre for years. It is years since the Flinders Medical Centre emergency department reached its desired capacity. What were Labor's plans even at the last election? Not a jot. What did they do for the Flinders Medical Centre emergency department? Faced with an emergency department that was already over its design capacity, they brought in Transforming Health—they downgraded the Noarlunga Hospital ED so that there would be even more patients going to the Flinders Medical Centre emergency department.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: So what did this government do? Under the stewardship of Treasurer Lucas—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The honourable Opposition Whip!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —this government committed to an $86 million investment in improving emergency services in southern Adelaide.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: That will see, for children and adolescents, almost a doubling of the treatment capacity. I was delighted to be there today, where we saw an increase in not only the number of treatment bays from seven to 13, but also we saw a high acuity room, an isolation room, I think another reverse flow—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am sure the minister will conclude his answer soon. We need to move on, minister.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I just want to make the point that, when honourable members try to suggest that this government is making the Flinders Medical Centre—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —less able to deal with an emergency, look at the facts. We have almost doubled the paediatric emergency department capacity.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: By the end of July there will be a total of 30 treatment bays across that emergency department; it is much better equipped to deal with the challenges of the south. We are leaving behind the neglect of Labor.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Jing Lee has the call.