House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-02-26 Daily Xml

Contents

Repatriation General Hospital

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): Does the government have any plans for the land post the closure of the Repat site?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Health Industries) (14:09): We do. What I have already publicly stated is that we won't do anything without first consulting with veterans about the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I'm surprised that this should be news to the opposition. They have obviously been half asleep for the last three weeks. We have already made quite clear that we will not be doing anything to the site without consultation with veterans. I would expect that consultation to be led by the Veterans Advisory Council. I have made commitments about the heritage and historic aspects of the site, in particular the chapel and the memorial garden, that those will be protected regardless of what decisions we make. I would anticipate that there would be a great deal of interest for that site being used for a health, veterans, aged-care type facility, and certainly the government would be very open to that, but the only plans we have in place so far are that we will be engaging with veterans about the future of the site.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Before the leader asks his next question, I warn the members for Hammond and Adelaide for the first time and the member for Heysen for the second time.