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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-26 Daily Xml
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GLENSIDE HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:19): My question is to the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Is the government now proceeding with the sale of land at the Glenside campus, including the oval, for the construction of a supermarket and other commercial facilities?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: The Burnside council has conducted a survey of local residents resulting in 85 per cent of the respondents (over 2,000) to the survey opposing the extension of the Frewville Shopping Centre—

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the Attorney!

Ms CHAPMAN: —and a further 93 per cent indicating their support for returning the oval. Schools in the area, including Mercedes College, which currently use the oval, have not been provided with any other suitable alternative facilities.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:20): I thank the member for Bragg for her question. I think that she has to understand that this government is committed to investing in mental health within this state and to upgrading our buildings and facilities. I do not think anybody who has visited Glenside campus can be other than shocked by the state of the facilities, which are essentially 19th century buildings. It is impossible to provide current, modern treatment—the sort of treatment that our patients, family members, constituents and community deserve—in those buildings. Much as they are beautiful, and many of them are heritage buildings, they are quite unsuitable for current usage.

It is essential that money is invested, and this government is investing $100 million in upgrading our mental health facilities. We are investing in providing more facilities, more beds and modern facilities at that. We have set in train a process for upgrading the Glenside campus, which I repeat will provide more beds, modern facilities and decent places in which our staff can work and where patients can be treated with respect and in a credible, modern way.

In doing that, the campus will be upgraded and shared with other complementary uses. I know that those opposite do not want us to spend money on Glenside, they do not want us to upgrade the facilities, nor do they want the families and communities to be dealt with respectfully. I know that they are opposed to upgrading our mental health facilities, and the reality is that we are in the middle of a consultation process that will highlight the design of the final layout of those facilities. Until that decision is made, there is no point haranguing us and complaining. Until that decision is made, we cannot debate whether there will be the shape of an oval or the retail sector or the exact layout of the housing.

However, I can commit in this house to continue consultation with the community, the council and the stakeholders because in their hearts they know that this investment is doing the best we can for those patients.

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