Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-03-24 Daily Xml

Contents

Coronavirus

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:51): A supplementary arising from the original answer: are these agreements in place to ensure that South Australia is not disadvantaged by other states and territories competing for the same reagent supply?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:52): I don't know if I'm getting too sensitive, but is that the attitude for a collective national response? If I've got an Aboriginal person in the Northern Territory needing an ICU bed, am I going to say, 'I'm sorry, I might need that for a South Australian. Get lost'? No. We are going to work together as a nation, a state and a community to respond to this challenge. That will mean that other states and territories will send us supplies that we need, but that also means that other states and territories will send their Australian citizens who need care, and I am standing ready to do that.