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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-11-25 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Ambulance Ramping

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. Has the Premier broken his promise to fix ramping? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: At the 2022 election, the Premier promised to fix ramping but South Australia has now suffered through 41 of the worst months of ramping in our history with last month's figures, 2,426 hours, worse than the last four months of the former Liberal government.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier, Minister for Defence and Space Industries) (14:20): But very much down on the month before that. I make this point: the Leader of the Opposition asks about the government record on ramping and I am more than happy to address that. I have said this publicly in a number of forums, whether that be on talkback radio, this parliament, whether it be—I think I was down in the South-East at a forum that the Advertiser was hosting. In any number of different places, I have been the first to acknowledge that the state government would love to have seen lower levels of ramping than what we have seen thus far.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: But it is also true, for those people who are still listening to my response, that what we have done as a government is put in place a comprehensive suite of policies to make a difference to the health system, which is gaining traction. I would invite the Leader of the Opposition, if he was to remove a political assessment and apply an objective assessment, he would see—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left will come to order. I can't hear the Premier. The Premier will be heard in silence.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Thanks Mr Speaker. What he would see is independent bodies, such as the Coroner of South Australia, making these observations—not my words, but the State Coroner's.

Mrs Hurn interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The member for Schubert asks about when we are talking about. This is a coronial report that was handed down during the course of this year; in fact, only a few months ago. The Coroner said:

SA Health's response to ramping is extremely comprehensive and well thought through.

Again, quote:

SA Health's comprehensive attack on the root causes of ramping is an excellent use of public funds.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The Coroner goes on to say:

The efforts taken, in relation to ramping today, are commendable—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left will come to order. The leader, you are on your final warning. The member for Schubert, you’re on your final warning.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: He goes on to say:

The efforts taken, in relation to ramping today, are commendable, meaningful…a stronger, more robust health system in South Australia.

With respect to Dr Robyn Lawrence's contribution, the CEO of SA Health, the Coroner finds:

…appears to be well equipped to manage such significant work which is being carried out.

He made a whole range of points in this context. Because what we did wasn't just reference and identify the fact that ramping was a problem, but, in contrast, went to the fact that the former government was denying there was a problem. We acknowledged the problem and then administered a comprehensive plan and strategy to do something about it, which includes $9 billion of new investment in both infrastructure and personnel: 1,400 extra nurses employed, over 600 extra doctors employed, over 300 extra ambulance officers employed, all of which is over and above attrition.

What does that stand in contrast to? Of course, those opposite weren't just not employing people above attrition, they were actively making them redundant. Over 500 health professionals were made redundant, including during the course of the pandemic. What South Australians know is that contrast is real, it is stark and makes a meaningful difference to the quality of services that South Australians get from SA Health.

The SPEAKER: The member for Flinders and the member for Hammond, you are on your final warnings.

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