Question Time

Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to asking the Leader of the Government a question about election promises.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The Royal Adelaide Hospital, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, Modbury Hospital and Noarlunga Hospital all continue to see record jumps in their monthly ramping statistics, with 4,095 hours of ramping recorded in March alone, bringing the Malinauskas government's record of ramping to more than 86,000 hours, costing a reported $5.2 million in paramedic wages. My questions to the leader are:

1. Is fixing the ramping crisis still a core promise of his government and, if so, will it be delivered before the next election?

2. Will the government reverse its decision to impose payroll tax on general practices from 1 July to aid delivery of its election promise?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:34): I am happy to answer the question. As I said previously, we intend to keep all our election commitments.