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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-10 Daily Xml
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HOSPITALS, REMEMBRANCE DAY

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Veterans' Affairs. Can the minister explain the full contents of the email earlier referred to by the member for Morphett?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:07): Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I can. I have been provided with the full text of the email which the member for Morphett rather selectively quoted from, in a disgusting attempt to politicise something as important as—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —Remembrance Day—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —and to try—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I know that the Treasurer has had a bad day, but he is clearly debating this answer, and he is totally out of order.

The SPEAKER: I think that, about 10 seconds into the answer, you cannot say that he is debating at this stage. Treasurer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: A cheap and nasty attempt—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order! Sit down, Treasurer. Point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: When the Treasurer uses emotive language and says things like 'disgusting'—

The SPEAKER: Thank you.

Mr WILLIAMS: —he is debating.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Sit down. I think that you are the pot calling the kettle black there, deputy leader. However, Treasurer, can you please get to the substance of the question and, perhaps, keep the language out it.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I can, ma'am. I will read the full text of the email, which, I think, on any fair reading would not be interpreted as an instruction for Remembrance Day not to be observed in our public hospitals. It reads:—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I continue:

We have had a request from—

I will not mention the name—

on switchboard in relation to observing Remembrance Day. I've been in discussion with the Communications Division at the Department of Health last week and raised it for discussion at this morning's Regional Communications Teleconference. It's been agreed that (with the exception of The Repat) observance of Remembrance Day should not be broadcast over the hospital public—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —address system. This decision has been taken because the PA system has the potential to be very intrusive on patients and families, particularly as they don't have an option to opt out of the broadcast. Last time the observance—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —was broadcast—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I am standing right next to the Treasurer and, because the member for Morphett can't control himself, I cannot hear him properly.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. I uphold that point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Can we listen to the email, please.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I continue:

Last time the observance was broadcast we also received correspondence from a veteran who strongly complained about incorrect protocol being followed in relation to the material used. For these reasons, observance is not to be broadcast over the hospital public address system on 11 November. Observance—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Morphett!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Settle down mate, settle down. Your name will be mud among the veterans when they hear about this, mate. Your name will be mud.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I want to hear this email. Treasurer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The email continues:

Observance by staff is however encouraged, and an alert will be sent out to all staff via email. The use of a pop-up reminder by ICT on computer desktops is also being explored. Please communicate this decision to [the person concerned] and the Switchboard team.

A blatant attempt by the member for Morphett, who has history on these sorts of things—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker: the Treasurer is again straying into debate because he has been caught out. I suggest the Treasurer go back and read the Hansard and he will see he was totally wrong.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. We don't need an explanation from you. Question time has finished.

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