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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-10-27 Daily Xml
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HOSPITALS, FUNDING

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (15:10): My question is to the Minister for Health. What does the minister say to Mr Ross Lennox, a constituent of mine who credits the Ardrossan Community Hospital for saving his life following a cardiac arrest, now that budget cuts will force the closure of this hospital?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. Again I draw attention—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I'm sorry, I'm being lectured by the member for Norwood on points of order. He has been here about five minutes! The member's question contained clear comment and, as the minister has answered all day, inaccurate comment. If he does not want the minister to debate, he cannot put comment in his question. Standing order 97, for the Leader of the Opposition who also does not know how to do her job.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I can explain to the Leader of the Opposition, the comment was 'after forcing the closure of the hospital'. The minister has been on his feet all day explaining how that is not the case, and they engage in comment and debate contrary to standing order 97.

The SPEAKER: Order! You are now debating the question also, minister. That is very close to the bone. I will ask the minister to answer the question, but it was very clearly very close to debate. If I hear anymore like that, that will be it. Minister, I think you only need a short answer for this.

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts) (15:11): Actually, I don't, Madam Speaker, I'm sorry. I was asked: what do I say to the gentleman who was looked after by the hospital. I do not know anything about that gentleman. I have no idea what the circumstances are—when he was looked after, how he was admitted to the hospital, any of the detail; whether or not there were other services available nearby that could have provided help for him. All of those elements were left out of the question. The conclusion in the question from the member was a statement of fact that the hospital was going to close, as I took it. That is what he said.

Let me read to the member what Belinda Jarvis, the Executive Officer of the Ardrossan Community Hospital told ABC radio. She said:

It will survive past July next year but looking on into the future within a few years of that, perhaps not. It's…difficult to determine, but for us it's a large part of our budget.

The executive officer of the hospital has not closed the hospital, but the local member who should be standing up for this community has closed it. The executive officer wants to keep it open but the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: The local member is talking down that hospital for base political reasons.

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