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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-09-10 Daily Xml
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Coronavirus

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS (15:58): I seek leave in the first instance to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding health figures.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: On 18 August, the minister appeared on Sky News in what has been described by South Australian commentators in less than favourable terms. Sky News summarised the eight-minute interview with host Chris Kenny—

The PRESIDENT: The member is entitled to make a brief explanation. It should not include commentary. Continue, but it is meant to be an explanation to inform your question. Please proceed.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: Sky News summarised the eight-minute interview with host Chris Kenny as follows, and I quote:

South Australian Health Minister fudges COVID-19 infection numbers.

South Australian Health Minister Stephen Wade struggled to answer questions about why students from coronavirus-infected Singapore will be allowed to enter his state while the border remains shut to Melbournians.

And finally:

In an interview with Sky News host Chris Kenny on Tuesday night, Mr Wade also drastically inflated the number of active cases in Victoria while playing down the severity of thousands of active COVID-19 cases in Singapore.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I want to listen to the Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos, and her own colleagues ought to give her that opportunity.

The Hon. I. PNEVMATIKOS: My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister recognise that as the minister responsible for our state's COVID-19 health response he should have been able to recall basic facts such as the number of active cases across Australia?

2. Was the minister reprimanded by the Premier for his performance during this interview?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (16:00): I would like to remind the house that I am actually involved in combating a pandemic. I'm not involved in some sort of pop quiz. On that—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Order on my left!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: On that particular occasion—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Laughter is totally out of order. I want to listen to the minister. Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: On that particular occasion I conflated two different sets of figures. I completely reject the assertion of a Sky News-related journalist that I was trying to mislead anybody. I find that comment offensive. Of course, data is always changing and, thank God, since I made those statements the number of active cases in Victoria has more than halved. That is what we should be celebrating. We shouldn't be playing political games, some sort of pop quiz about what numbers are what. I also reject the assertion—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Members on my left will be silent. Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —that we are not willing to provide a service to Victorian students that we are willing to provide to international students. The right to return to South Australia, supported by the South Australian government and quarantine, applies to students returning to South Australian institutions whether they come from overseas or Victoria.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Pnevmatikos, and I would like to hear her, and I think her colleagues ought to listen to her as well.

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