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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-04-09 Daily Xml
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REPATRIATION GENERAL HOSPITAL

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): I had my flu shot the other day, and I have been coughing ever since. Thanks for that advice! Will the Minister for Health be advising the veteran community of his intention to abolish the Repatriation General Hospital board and transfer the governance responsibility to the Southern Adelaide Health Service before or after ANZAC Day? Not only has the Paxton Consulting report recommended that the Repatriation General Hospital be integrated with the Southern Adelaide Health Service but the government has already referred this issue to its consultative committee, which is meeting again this month.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:11): First, can I say that the deputy leader cannot get the flu from a flu shot, and to spread that rumour is totally wrong. The fact that one has a cough is absolutely coincidental. The only—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Dead flu cells go into your body, not live ones, so you cannot get the flu from a flu shot. It is a myth, and people need to have that myth knocked on the head. The only reaction you can possibly have to a flu shot is if you are allergic to eggs, because the base on which the flu—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Well, then, in that case, the honourable member is not coughing because of eggs—I am glad to hear that! The issue in relation to the management of the Repatriation General Hospital has not changed. The honourable member asked me a question about this some time ago—it may have been on multiple occasions. The government's position is very clear.

We believe that it is in the best interests of the veterans and in the best interests of the Repatriation General Hospital if it is brought within the Southern Adelaide Health Service. We have made no secret of that. I have had a number of discussions with organisations representing veterans, and I have made it plain to them, as does the legislation, that we will not do that without their support. I understand that there is general support amongst the veterans' organisations to do that. They believe it is in their best interests—

Ms Chapman: Why don't you tell them?

The Hon. J.D. HILL: It is not a matter of telling them; we are—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Mr Speaker, the deputy leader has a propensity to set up an argument which is based on a set of false assumptions. As I made it plain, there is no intention to pre-empt any decision in relation to this matter without the full cooperation, support and involvement of the vets themselves. There is no intention to make any decision about this without their being a part of it. As I have said to the house on many occasions, we will not do it in any way which avoids that process. We are openly discussing the matters with them. In fact, I will be attending an ANZAC Day fundraising event for the Foundation of the Repatriation General Hospital this Saturday night, and I will be saying precisely that to all the vets who are there in attendance.

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