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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-14 Daily Xml
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Paediatric Cochlear Implant Program

Mrs HURN (Schubert) (14:23): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Are young adults who had their cochlear implant fitted at the Women's and Children's Hospital between 1991 and 2005 eligible for the government's ex-gratia payments? If not, why not?

The Hon. C.J. PICTON (Kaurna—Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:24): Just to clarify again, people who got their implants fitted at the Women's and Children's Hospital were not adults. They were children at the time, but if that was up to 30 years ago they will of course be adults now.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: We have been very proactive as a government in terms of offering ex-gratia payments of up to $50,000 for people who have been affected, $5,000 for people otherwise in the program for the period—

Mrs Hurn interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is warned.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: —of 2006 onwards where it is clear from the report, from the work that has been done, there is the potential that they have been affected by the program.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome! Member for Chaffey, order! There are ongoing, reasonably low-volume but consistent interjections from my left and some from my right.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Chaffey, you are warned. The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: As I said, between 1991 and 2006, the Women's and Children's Hospital is now going back out of an abundance of caution to offer people the independent reviews for NextSense between that period.

Ms Pratt interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome, order!

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: At this point in time, there is no evidence to say that the effects go prior to 2006. If, through the process of those reviews—

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

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta!

The Hon. C.J. PICTON: —there are issues that go back further, then that is something that we will absolutely consider in relation to those ex-gratia payments—if that was to happen as a hypothetical.

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