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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-08-25 Daily Xml
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Country Doctor Agreement

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (15:02): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier now personally intervene to address the stalled negotiations for a new country doctor agreement? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr PICTON: The agreement between SA Health and country doctors has expired and the Rural Doctors Association president, Dr Peter Rischbieth, a Murray Bridge GP, has said in response to the stalled negotiations, and I quote, 'SA's country doctors are being left out on a limb by SA Health and that limb is close to snapping.'

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:03): As I was saying before, this is a matter of high priority for all regional members on our side of the house and I presume for all regional members right across the state. Workforce is very important. There are negotiations which are currently underway. I only met with the health minister regarding this on Tuesday morning. Those discussions are continuing, and I hope that they come to a conclusion as soon as possible.

We want to make sure that we provide people living in regional South Australia with the health services they deserve. That wasn't the case when we came to government. We had crumbling infrastructure, we had a massive backlog of maintenance right across country SA, we had facilities which were not fit for purpose. Unlike those opposite, we want to make sure that we attract every single person possible to regional South Australia.

I have always said that our regions are second to none, but they require a very significant improvement in infrastructure, whether it be roads, bridges, health infrastructure or, of course, schools. In every single one of those areas, sir, you would know, most reasonable people would know, that that is exactly the priority of the government. We are making sure that we put those facilities in place for the regions in South Australia. Almost on day one of the current Leader of the Opposition assuming that role, he said that Labor had let South Australian regions down. He said that it would be a priority for him.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is a point of order from the member for West Torrens.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is a point of order, Premier, could you take your seat, please.

Mr Malinauskas: The most city-centric government in the state's history.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader! There is a point of order. You are actually interjecting on your own member.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order from the member for West Torrens. What is it, sir?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The Premier was debating the answer, standing order 98.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: With his reference to the previous government's actions, I would uphold that point of order, but the Premier can continue his answer and come back to the nub of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am not quite sure why the Leader of the Opposition or his friend are so upset about this. It was a very clear post by the Leader of the Opposition. He said, 'Since I took over the leadership of the Labor Party I said on day one that Labor had let the regions down.' They are his words, they are not my words, but for some reason the member for West Torrens thinks it's debate. For some reason, he thinks it's debate. In the words of his own leader, he admitted that they had let the regions down. That's because he knew that they had let the regions down.

Sixteen years and he has the temerity to come into this chamber today and say that we, the new government, is the most city-centric government in the history of South Australia. You couldn't script this farce. This should be a Fringe show. I am going to get on to Heather Croall, the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Fringe. This will sell out. People love comedy. They need to lift their spirits. This is fantastic. It's your best work.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, debate, and perhaps maybe a sedative.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Premier, have you finished your answer?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Sure, why not

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before we do that, member for Playford, you are on two warnings already. The next time you are gone.

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