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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-04-02 Daily Xml
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SA Pathology

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:33): My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. How many of the 10 SA Pathology centres that are proposed to close will be in regional South Australia?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:33): The reality is that the member opposite is talking about 'proposed to close', etc. The Minister for Health and Wellbeing has made it very clear that there won't be any changes for a year or more while—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Boyer interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is warned for a second and final time. If this level of noise continues, members will be departing the chamber. The minister has the call.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader! The minister has the call.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right are not assisting. You are not assisting. The minister has the call. The clock is ticking. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Thank you very much, Speaker. The reality is that those opposite are trying to beat this up in a ridiculous way, but let me share some sensible words with all of us here, and I quote, 'I think invariably when you introduce new—

The Hon. A. Piccolo: Just rethink what you said a couple of years ago—they were sensible words.

The SPEAKER: The member for Light is warned.

The Hon. A. Piccolo: For the first time?

The SPEAKER: Yes.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I will start again, Mr Speaker.

I think invariably when you introduce new technologies to the workforce, efficiencies can be gained, and we're happy to be part of the working party to oversee that process.

Another quote is, 'Members of Professionals Australia do not oppose efforts to aid productivity within SA Pathology.'

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Hang on. Goodness gracious, they are—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: They are in a rush. They are in such a rush that they didn't even read the report. They just want to ask questions.

The Hon. A. Piccolo: Clearly, you haven't either.

The SPEAKER: The member for Light is warned for a second and final time. Don't make me throw you out. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Those two quotes are from Professionals Australia, who represent people who work in SA Pathology. There are plenty of others, but those opposite might have been listening to the radio and they might have some other questions that they want to get to.

If necessary, I can share these other quotes but, suffice to say, the Minister for Health and Wellbeing, our government, is going about this in a very transparent way. We have released the report. We have engaged with unions. We have engaged with clinicians. We have engaged with the public. We have even offered information to those opposite. We are seeking efficiencies. We are giving SA Pathology every opportunity to deliver those efficiencies. We have laid out a very clear time line about how we are going to do that.

Every opportunity is there for SA Pathology, whether it be in the city or whether it be in the country, to deliver on those efficiencies, which all South Australians deserve, including the people who work in SA Pathology.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: the member was making quotations from a document. I ask that he table it to you.

The SPEAKER: We have been through this before. I don't believe that the member was quoting to a level. He certainly did not say that he was—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I don't believe he was amply quoting, but I will have a look at the footage and the Hansard, and if the minister is required to table it then I will order him to do so.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I might be able to help the house by just reading from this piece of paper.

The SPEAKER: If you read it, I will order you to quote it.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Sorry?

The SPEAKER: If you read it, you will be quoting it.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes, sir. I will quote—

The SPEAKER: Okay, thank you. The minister has clarified that he will—

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I will quote what is on the page and I will bring it to you.

The SPEAKER: If you read it and it's a public document, you will be required to table it.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: if that is part of a larger document, the whole document must be tabled.

The SPEAKER: Is the minister reading an internal memorandum? What is it?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: It's a note of a set of quotes relevant to this issue that was provided by an adviser. So, Mr Speaker, what I would say is that the member for West Torrens is entirely—

The SPEAKER: If that is a personal note, it is not required to be tabled, but I will listen to the answer.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The member for West Torrens is entirely accurate with his suggestion.

The SPEAKER: I'm seeking clarification here. The minister is seeking clarification. I will allow 30 seconds to clarify this and we will move on to the next question.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, I quote from this piece of paper:

In August 2017, when Minister Snelling paused Labor's Efficiency Improvement Programme (EIP) to concentrate on the implementation of EPLIS Sarah Andrews said—

The SPEAKER: Another 30 seconds, Rick.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I have ordered another 30 seconds here. Order!

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Innovation, be quiet. I have ordered 30 seconds to clarify this issue.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: So this is a quote within the quote:

I think invariably when you introduce new technologies to the workforce, efficiencies can be gained, and we're happy to be part of the working party to oversee that process.

The next one I read states, quote, 'Members of Professionals Australia do not oppose efforts to aid productivity within SA Pathology.' That came, Mr Speaker, from evidence before a parliamentary select committee on 4 February 2019, page 2. If they have any other questions, I am happy to oblige.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister. Can I have that original, please? Please bring that original to me.

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