House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-24 Daily Xml

Contents

Work Health and Safety Audits

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:52): A supplementary question. Why did the minister tell the house yesterday that he had no information and that the department had no information about patients being accommodated in the morgue viewing room at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, given that this was clearly contained within the SASMOA audit report, which has received widespread media coverage in recent days?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:52): I make no apologies for the fact that we will treat people wherever it is safe to do so. Our hospitals have been incredibly crowded, and I would love to know what the opposition thinks is the answer to this. Does the Leader of the Opposition think we should just turn people away from our emergency departments? The simple fact is that we will treat people wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the first time and the member for Morialta is called to order.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We have been through a very busy six weeks, and I make no apologies for the fact that we will treat people where it is safe and appropriate to do so. That is my answer.