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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-27 Daily Xml
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Doherty Institute Modelling

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): Has the Premier received any modelling from the Doherty Institute itself or anyone who has produced it from the Doherty Institute? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: On numerous occasions throughout the course of the last month the Premier has indicated that the road map will be dependent upon the Doherty modelling research produced specifically for South Australia, yet in the Premier's previous answer he said that he is yet to receive the modelling from the Doherty Institute specific to South Australia.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:11): I don't know why the Leader of the Opposition is struggling with this. Let's go through it for the third time so far this question time.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Pay attention. My advice is: pay attention—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —because it would be really embarrassing if I had to explain this to you four times.

The SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order. The member for Lee on a point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am confident you are paying attention and you don't need the instruction of the Premier to do so.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee, the Premier can continue. I am confident that those comments were not directed at me.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: You are quite right, sir: I'm sure you are paying attention. As you would know, sir, there are three pieces of information that I have spoken about. The first piece was from the Doherty Institute, led by Dr Jodie McVernon, which has gone to the national cabinet. I have then—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Tick, he's got that one! There is a second piece of information that has been received from people who have provided in the past advice to the Doherty Institute to the South Australian government. That has been received. The second piece of information coming from them has not been received, so I haven't actually read the second set because it hasn't been received.

As I have said in a lot of detail over the course of the questions I have had in this chamber over the last two question times—and I do appreciate some questions finally being asked about this subject matter; I very much appreciate it—we have a set of advice that has given us confidence to open those state borders on 23 November, but we also have requested additional information as to what our public health social measures and our test, trace, isolate and quarantine methodology should be as we move through to the next phase, which is when we get to 90 per cent of those double-vaccinated 12 years and over.

This is the situation that exists at the moment: three sets of advice and, as I said yesterday and repeat again today, Professor Nicola Spurrier, the Chief Public Health Officer in South Australia, is happy to consolidate some of that advice and make it—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am not going to respond to interjections, but I will just reiterate the point that some of that advice is not to the South Australian government, so it would not be appropriate—I think that you would appreciate that, sir—for the South Australian government to say, 'Well, here's the advice that went to the national cabinet.' That's a decision of the national cabinet. It meets next Friday. It's possible that that advice will be provided at that time but, certainly, what I can confirm to this house is—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't think this started, this four minutes.

The SPEAKER: I am going to allow the Premier some latitude. I think he is coming to the end of his answer. The Premier has the call.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't think it was on.

The SPEAKER: Leader, in any event, I am going to allow the Premier some latitude.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: So, the national cabinet will consider these matters. But, as I said, Professor Nicola Spurrier, our Chief Public Health Officer in South Australia, has made it very clear that she will release modelling. We do want to make sure that the people of South Australia understand the situation that exists as we lift those state borders. We will be letting the Delta variant into South Australia, but we are going to do it only when it is safe to do so. The modelling that has been received suggests that at 80 per cent it will be safe to do that.

That's the advice that has been received at the national cabinet and, of course, it has been corroborated by advice that we have received independently here in South Australia. There may be some who don't trust that. I heard earlier today comments from the opposition: what have we got to hide? It is as if there is something that was being hidden from the people of South Australia. I think I have now given—

An honourable member interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —a full and perfect explanation, and it's a pity those opposite want to constantly undermine the great public health advice that we have had here in South Australia.

The SPEAKER: The Premier's time has expired.

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