Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-06-08 Daily Xml

Contents

COVID-19 Quarantine Facilities

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): Regarding the Parafield Airport facility that the minister spoke of, is there any advice about whether that is more or less safe than the medi-hotel system in relation to the possibility of COVID escaping?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:30): I think it's important to appreciate that everything we do in relation to the COVID response is based on public health advice. The Parafield facility, the Paringa facility and the medi-hotel facilities are constantly being monitored by our—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: First of all they get established on the basis of public health advice and their continued operation is—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —continually supervised by our public health team.

The Hon. E.S. Bourke interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, the Hon. Ms Bourke!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: One of the key factors in relation to the safe operation of these facilities is what I would call cohorts. The risk of COVID-19 amongst Pacific Island workers who are based in the Riverland is fundamentally different from international travellers returning from—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —India. We will continue to operate not on the basis of Labor's—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: —press releases but we're going to act on the basis of public health advice.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary question, the Leader of the Opposition.