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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-11-27 Daily Xml
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Question Time

KordaMentha Report

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:29): My question is to the Premier. Is the Premier telling South Australians that if length of stay reduces there will be no resultant closure of beds? With your leave, and that of the house, sir, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: The KordaMentha diagnostic report says that the length-of-stay saving of $130 million per annum will free up approximately 65,000 occupied bed days per annum and banks this as a $130 million cut, or $2,000 a night. A cut of 65,000 occupied bed days per annum equates to a closure of 178 beds.

The SPEAKER: Again, there's a fair bit in that question. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:29): I have already answered this question. The reality is the KordaMentha implementation plan outlines a plan to improve health outcomes for the people of South Australia. We make it very clear that we will have the requisite number of beds in South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! The member for Badcoe is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to deliver improved health outcomes for the people of this state. Most importantly, we will have those beds exactly and precisely where they are needed. It beggars belief that those opposite have the gall, the temerity, to come into parliament and ask about bed cuts. They are the ones who actually closed the Repat hospital. They are the ones who said this will never, ever close, and that's exactly what they are doing.

By contrast, as evidenced by the answer that I have previously provided to the house, we are keeping beds open on the Repat site—20 beds slated for closure are being kept open—and a further 20 new beds are being opened, and that's happening before the end of the year. That's 40 new beds in the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. We are building the beds exactly and precisely where they are needed. Sir, let me just tell you that we just haven't arrived at this and whizzed it up in our media office like those opposite did for 16 long years.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We actually consulted with the stakeholders ignored for a very long period of time by those opposite. Those stakeholders have had input into our diagnostic plan—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and into our recovery plan in South Australia. They have had input. By and large, we were delighted with the response that we received yesterday when we published in full the diagnostic plan and the implementation plan. The employee groups in South Australia went out and offered support. In fact, in many instances they said, 'Yes, we know they are the problems. Now get on with it.' They are the same issues that they have been raising with the previous government—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —year after year after year. Finally, they have a government that is going to roll up their sleeves and do the work that is necessary to reform the health system in South Australia and to make sure that we can do this in a financially sustainable way. Yesterday, the health and wellbeing minister, the Hon. Stephen Wade, headed down to meet with employees within the Central Adelaide Local Health Network.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This is something the previous government did very rarely.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They spent a lot of money talking to the people in the South Australian Central Adelaide Local Health Network via the television set—lots and lots of advertising but not real consultation, real communication.

By contrast, I commend the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. The feedback that we have received, that he has received, is very positive. The people in the South Australian Central Adelaide Local Health Network know—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that changes are needed. Clinicians know that changes are needed. Consumer groups know that changes are needed and employee groups know that changes are needed.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The only people arguing for the status quo are those opposite—the weak leader, Peter Malinauskas, who sat and presided over the problems.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has finished. The member for Kaurna has the call. I would like to hear the question.

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