HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Member Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-05-06 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

BAROSSA VALLEY HEALTH FACILITY

Mr VENNING (Schubert) (17:43): I congratulate you, Madam Deputy Speaker, on your elevation to the office of not only Deputy Speaker but also Chairman of Committees. Congratulations, again, to the member for Giles on her elevation to the chair, which is very good. She was an excellent chair of the ERD Committee and I think her appointment is very suitable. Of any woman I know that could handle this job I think the honourable member for Giles can handle it very well because she can express herself quite clearly and succinctly if she needs to and wants to, and she has done that on many an occasion and in many a forum.

I also want to congratulate the brand new members on both sides of the house. I offer my help to them as, probably, the oldest member of the house, which is not the greatest—

An honourable member: Young at heart.

Mr VENNING: Young at heart; you are right there. I am not the father of the house; the Premier has been here longer, and I think the member for Fisher is probably older than me, but we won't go there. I am very pleased to be back here with my best vote ever: a 12 per cent swing, 70 per cent two-party preferred. That is a good way to go out, isn't it, to finish like that? I thank my constituency very much for that strong endorsement.

Today I want to raise a matter in relation to the Barossa community. The Barossa community has been waiting for a new health facility to service the region for a very long time—in fact, over 15 years—and it has been extremely patient, as have I as the local member representing the region. My patience and the community's is wearing very thin.

In 2001 the Liberals committed to building a new facility to be located in Nuriootpa, with construction to commence in the 2004-05 financial year. However, since the Rann Labor government came to power in 2002, very little progress has been made. Finally, in the 2008 budget, I think in response to my constant pressure, $100,000 was allocated for a business case study into a new facility. This business case has never seen the light of day. The minister has had a business case for a new hospital since July last year, and still the community is waiting to learn the results of the investigation. The community wants to know what the hold-up is, and so do I.

Prior to the 20 March election the state Liberals committed to building a new health facility in the Barossa if elected. Unfortunately, that did not happen. I was extremely surprised that the Rann government failed to respond to the Liberal announcement and, despite commissioning a business case, it did not put forward its own proposal or commitment—nothing. Over the past eight years the Rann Labor government has given false expectations to the Barossa and surrounding communities about a new health facility. It is time for answers; it is time for action.

I have written to the Minister for Health requesting an update on the progress of the business case, but to date, aside from receiving an acknowledgement of my correspondence, I have not received a formal response to my concerns. I will meet with minister Hill as soon as I can, both socially in this place and at any other opportunity, to get an update on the situation.

Following the election, I was contacted by many extremely disappointed constituents, disappointed because the Liberals were not elected to power, meaning that our commitment to build a new health facility in the Barossa would not come to fruition within the next four years. I vowed to continue the fight and assured the community that I would continue to lobby the Rann Labor government for a new health facility in the Barossa, a new facility that the region deserves.

I have never been in favour of the federal government taking the control of the health system away from the states. I think it will result in poorer service if management is taken away further from a local level. I have been lobbying on behalf of the Barossa community for over 10 years for a new health service and I am not getting anywhere. I feel like I have been bashing my head up against a brick wall.

In this case, requesting intervention from the federal government may be the only way we get some action on this. I have told the minister that before I make any representations to the federal government I will wait for his response; so I implore him to sign off on the business case and make it public. The Barossa community has been very patient and deserves a new health facility. This issue is above just playing politics; on a needs basis and also fairness and equity, a new hospital for the Barossa is long overdue. My big concern is that once the new RAH gets underway it will totally absorb all the health funds and the Barossa will continue with a far below standard facility many years into the future.

I thank the people of the Barossa for their support. I commend the people who work in this facility. They give excellent service in a rundown, outdated, antiquated facility, and I do commend them very highly. Never give up; we are still fighting.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT