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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-17 Daily Xml
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COUNTRY HEALTH CARE PLAN

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (15:38): I, too, want to speak to the issue of the Country Health Care Plan. Further to question time today, I was very incensed by the Minister for Health's personal attack on me and my physique. I have never resorted to personal abuse in my time here. I interjected the word 'gross' because I have totally lost faith in this minister to deliver what he says he will. It is simply gross that he is now attempting to stuff up country health as he has stuffed up natural resource management here in South Australia. Yes, I did appreciate the note he sent me across the chamber offering a case study on an amalgamated health care service in the Barossa, but no commitment and no expectation.

Another reason I have lost confidence in this minister relates to another personal attack. Apparently, on ABC Regional Radio, the minister implied that I was the only MP who was happy to close a hospital. That is most misleading and unfair; I have never said that. I have often referred to the fact that the Barossa health community has agreed to allow the closure of two existing old hospitals to be replaced by one new one: fact. However, the truth is: no new hospital, no closures. So, I believe that was very mischievous and a breach of trust.

I have never attacked this minister before. I have had him on a pedestal and have given him the benefit of every doubt that may have existed. However, with these two personal outbursts, along with his attack on our country hospitals, for me it is a case of two strikes and you are out, and any respect he has earned has gone.

This comes on top of the minister seeking, three months ago, the sacking of country hospital boards, getting rid of the community management of hospitals and putting in bureaucratically controlled health advisory councils, and taking the local cheque books away. I opposed it at the time, as it is the start of the process to close country hospitals, and I invite members to check Hansard and read the exchange between the minister and me. He was advised in that instance by two country doctors: Dr Richard McKinnon, my doctor from Crystal Brook, and Dr Peter Joyner from Mannum, also in my electorate. I did raise that matter with my doctor and I could not get any response.

Well, Dr McKinnon, the same doctor who advised this minister and was supportive of him, was very vocal about this last round of reviewing country hospitals. He was on the ABC television program Statewide on Friday night. Did you see him, and was he cross! He is a very good hospital administrator, doctor and community person. He is the success of Crystal Brook Hospital, a great hospital, with five doctors offering a wide range of services. Dr McKinnon has every right to feel betrayed. To be told we are a GP Plus hospital is a disgrace. Do you think we will retain doctors in 43 country hospitals if we reduce the available procedures?

I am totally gobsmacked that two country members can support the government on this move. I presume by their silence that they do, especially the member for Chaffey, leader of the National Party here in South Australia. Her own state president is opposed to the government position. Where does it leave her and, more importantly, her country constituents, or does she not care? Mr Wilbur Klein, President of the National Party, is right and we agree with him. I will read what he said:

The health and well-being of many country people will be put at risk, and the very sustainability of these communities will also be put at risk...We don't need a local hospital with fancy signage, we just want simple quality health services made available to all country people and families.

That is the President of the National Party. What is going on? Why does he not say something to his leader, who is part of the Labor government here in South Australia? I cannot believe that this situation can be allowed to continue like this; nor can I believe the hypocrisy of this minister. It goes further: yesterday we had a farmers' march in Canberra on the single desk issue—again, the National Party rising to the fore, and I support them fully. In this chamber the leader of the National Party does not support the Nationals, and she never has done. I strongly support the National Party, even over my own party, on this issue, but what is she doing?

I have been consistent on this matter; I have been totally consistent in everything I have done in this place. She sits here, with her own president saying, 'We are supporting single desk,' and what has she done in the past? It is totally unworkable, hypocritical in the extreme and I cannot believe that she can sit in here, as she does, on an issue like this. I wonder if she will be out on the front steps tomorrow, because I will be. Will she be out there tomorrow facing the doctors and the communities? I will be out there. I challenge her to be out there also.

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