Question Time

Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:23): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government in this place a question about community safety.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: As we all know, the Labor Party were elected into government on the back of the promise to fix ramping, but since then they have delivered the worst ramping figures this state has ever seen. Last month was the worst on record, with 5,539 hours lost to ramping. That figure means that, since being elected, this government has now delivered more than 103,877 hours of ramping, with the time lost showing no sign of abating.

Labor's own unions have publicly stated that they do not have the confidence that this government can fix the ramping crisis. According to the nurses and midwifery union branch secretary, staff and patients had been traumatised and needed counselling. I quote, 'What they're enduring is absolutely horrific,' and, 'It's much like working in a war zone.' This comes as the Ambulance Employees Association's General Secretary, Leah Watkins, has now called on the government, and I quote, 'to stop and reassess all actions they are taking to fix ramping'.

We know that ambulance officers are dismayed that they are, in their own words, being left to rot on the ramp outside hospitals. The safety of the community is at risk when on many occasions in July and again in early August priority 2 patients who should have been seen within 10 minutes were ramped for two to three hours at Flinders Medical Centre. This is, as the AEA described it, unacceptably dangerous to the South Australian community.

My question to the Leader of the Government in this place is: with less than 18 months until the election and ramping worse than it ever has been, when will this government address the serious concerns for community safety that are coming from not just the community but from the hardworking ambulance officers and fix the ramping crisis as they promised?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for her question. As the honourable member is aware the health minister sits in another place. As we talk regularly about this I am pleased to report that this government has given back pay for the last four years before they were paid—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —unlike the former government and certainly—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Sit down. I did not hear a word the Attorney said.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I am on my feet. The honourable Leader of the Opposition, your second question.