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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-21 Daily Xml
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Women's and Children's Hospital

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:48): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Health and Wellbeing a question about the Women's and Children's Hospital.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: There is growing concern among clinicians about the future of the Women's and Children's Hospital, both the current site and the proposed new site opposite the new RAH. I understand the government has already confirmed its allocation of a $550 million down payment on the build but the full cost remains a matter of speculation, with increasing concern it could hit $1.8 billion, more than five times the cost of the new Calvary Adelaide Hospital, for about the same number of beds.

My question to the minister is: in the current COVID-19 environment and, importantly, the post COVID-19 environment when the state government will battle to get the budget back to the black, can you give an emphatic, categorical, ironclad guarantee that the new Women's and Children's Hospital will go ahead?

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: Set in stone.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Set in stone? In that same environment, do you believe the government and indeed the taxpayers can afford the anticipated $1.8 billion price tag? Can the minister provide further details of allocations announced—I think it was last week—in relation to funding for backfilling of FTEs to allow for front-line clinicians to contribute meaningfully to the structure and functional design of any hospital that is proposed?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:49): I think there are three aspects to that, and I will try to not lose any of them. In relation to Calvary, obviously this government strives to get the best value for money possible that we can in capital builds, but I think it would only be intellectually honest to say that Calvary Adelaide—the blue building on Angas Street, I think—is a quality asset but not the same asset that we are anticipating with the new Women's and Children's Hospital.

The new Women's and Children's Hospital is effectively—I am not sure whether it is a tertiary or a quaternary hospital; in other words, a highly complex hospital providing a range of services to both women and children. The Calvary facility is certainly a quality facility, but it's not surprising that its price tag is lower than what's anticipated for the new Women's and Children's Hospital.

In terms of the commitment to the new Women's and Children's Hospital build, actions speak louder than words. We are going on at full bore. In that regard, the honourable member asked me to give more details about the consultation process. To inform planning for the new Women's and Children's Hospital, a robust consultation process is being established that will involve seven advisory groups, 80 project user groups and working groups. It's being developed—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.G. WADE: It's interesting the interjections you get, isn't it? The Labor Party is challenging me. They are saying 'action' as though consultation—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —doesn't mean action.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: And this is why we had the problem with the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: They didn't think it was worth consulting with the people who had to use the facilities.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Well, I'm afraid the people who need to use the facilities—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —are the most important people to talk to.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Order! Order! Let the minister continue.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Let the clinicians note that the Labor Party that wants to be the alternative government does not believe they are worth talking to. They do not believe that their opinions are of any relevance. They weren't with the old Royal Adelaide Hospital move—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: They're not relevant to the Women's and Children's Hospital.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: They wouldn't give—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C. Bonaros: I missed the answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, you will be heard in silence. You will give the Hon. Ms Bonaros her answer so she can hear it and so that I can hear it. Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition will listen in silence, please.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Thank you, Mr President. I do thank the honourable member for her consistent interest in the Women's and Children's Hospital and for asking me specifically about consultation, because at least this side of the chamber is committed to consultation.

We are establishing seven advisory groups and 80 project user groups, and working groups are being developed. Clinicians, staff and consumers will be members of these groups so that they can provide input into the project. Health planners and architects have recently commenced as part of the planning process and will be strongly engaged with the consultation groups as they are established. On 3 July—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hanson!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —the Women's and Children's Hospital chief executive officer formally launched the new Women's and Children's Hospital consultation, and there is an expressions of interest—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The honourable Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —for people to be involved that is underway as we speak.

The Hon. R.P. Wortley interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bonaros, can you just hang on for a sec. The Hon. Mr Wortley, you are not helping. The Hon. Ms Bonaros, you have a supplementary question.

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