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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-09-28 Daily Xml
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Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): My question is again to the Premier. When was the decision to move the new Women's and Children's Hospital to the Thebarton barracks made, and when were glossy brochures, TV and radio advertisements, flyovers and other collateral featuring the move designed? With your leave, and that of the house, sir, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: On ABC radio this morning, presenter Stacey Lee asked the Premier, and I quote:

You didn't take it to cabinet on Monday and sign off on it and then announce it yesterday and have double-page spreads, TV ads ready to go, a fancy fly-through with graphics. These things take weeks, of course.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:28): On this side of the house, we can chew and walk at the same time.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Chew gum and walk at the same time.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Thank you. On this side of the house, we can actually undertake key functions of government concurrently.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We know that we are in a rush—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! Member for Schubert!

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is called to order. He well knows the standing orders.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We are in a rush to get this project underway as quickly as we possibly can, which is why throughout—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —this iterative process, to arrive at the right conclusion that is in the long interests of the state, we have been undertaking different pieces of work along the way, along the journey, knowing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the call.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, you are warned for a second time. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —that South Australians deserve to know about the very substantial plans that we have, that isn't just about focusing on jamming a hospital—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —up against the side to make the rest of the RAH expansion opportunities in the future completely null and void. We actually undertook a substantial exercise to make sure we arrive at the right conclusion.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Colton!

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: What's telling is that those opposite seem to be trying to defend the indefensible. They seem to be trying to defend the idea that a $2.8 billion—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Health is called to order. Member for Hartley! Member for Schubert!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The exchange across the chamber will cease between the member for Morialta, the member for Schubert, the Treasurer and the member for West Torrens. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: They seem to think that spending $2.8 billion of taxpayers' money on a hospital—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —$2 billion in 2017 dollars—the member for Schubert might want to start thinking about getting her facts right before she interjects or consequently comments in the public—$2.8 billion on a hospital that would be too small by the day you move in. Who reasonably thinks—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —that the women and children of this state don't deserve a hospital that is capable of accommodating future demand? Who reasonably thinks that building a hospital on a site that would preclude any future expansion of the Royal Adelaide Hospital is a good idea?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Colton! The member for Colton knows better. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The member for Colton seems to discount the value of the preservation of a site that will allow for future expansion, which speaks of the sort of short-term thinking—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —that got the opposition in the pickle that they find themselves in now, trying to defend a project that was too small.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: During the course of the four years of the former government, what action did we actually see take place on that side?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Absolutely nothing, not a sod turned. Nothing ready to go, only a big bill—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —for a small hospital.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned for a third time.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We have taken a different approach. We have the political courage to think about the long term rather than the short term. We are focused on making sure we deliver a hospital that clinicians support and meets their needs, which means meeting the needs of women and children in the long term.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members to my left, you ask the questions, but if you also supply the answers it is impossible for me to hear the answer.

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