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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-23 Daily Xml
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FLINDERS MEDICAL CENTRE

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:49): My question is to the Minister for Health. As the minister has now admitted that treatment rooms at the Flinders Medical Centre are being used as wards, where are the patients who would have been normally treated in these rooms now being treated?

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) (14:49): 'Now that the minister has admitted'—you can just hear the argument dripping on the words, Madam Speaker. As I said, the hospital flexes up beds when it is required. These are treatment rooms which are not being used in the middle of the night; that is why they are available to have patients sleeping there.

Just for the record, let me inform the house that, in relation to the Flinders Medical Centre, when we first came to government in 2001-02, which was the last year of the former Liberal government, there were 419 beds open at the Flinders Medical Centre. In 2009-10, there were 551 beds open at the Flinders Medical Centre. That is a massive increase of 130 extra beds put in by this government to help service the people of the southern suburbs.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.D. HILL: Of course, Madam Speaker, that was done because we put the investment in, because we are committed to public health, unlike those on the other side. While I am on the issue of capacity, beds and so on: yesterday, the member for Morphett put out a media release—he said at 2pm on 20 June 2011:

The average wait time in the RAH ED is 35.9 hours—nine times higher than Labor's recommended four hours.

That is what he said. That is absolutely, categorically untrue, like so much of what the opposition has to say on health. Categorically untrue. He never checks the facts, he makes reckless decisions about the truth—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: Standing Order 98: the minister is clearly debating the matter.

The SPEAKER: Minister, have you finished your answer?

The Hon. J.D. HILL: I think I have made the point pretty clearly: they don't know how to tell the truth, Madam Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: It is—

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, minister for Transport!

Mr WILLIAMS: It is 127, actually: the minister is impugning improper motive.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I will not uphold that point of order because I have seen the same sort of aspersions coming from both sides of the chamber today, but I remind members to be careful about what they say. The member for Taylor.

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