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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-02-21 Daily Xml
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Proton Therapy in South Australia

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:05): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Attorney-General, representing the Treasurer, about the proton therapy unit.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: Following an extensive investigation by The Advertiser's investigative editor, Andrew Hough, the proton therapy unit at SAHMRI now looks like falling over, an abject failure by the federal Turnbull government and the Weatherill government to do its due diligence on an expensive medical project that was not proven, with concerns that had been raised at the time for the ability of the US-based ProTom International to deliver the unit and meet its obligations.

I note that today's press release by the Treasurer appears to try to sheet some of the blame for the massive cost liabilities the state now faces to the Marshall government when it was actually Labor which signed off on the project. My question to the Treasurer is:

1. Can he now provide details of what due diligence was done on ProTom International's ability to deliver its experimental unit, going back to 2017?

2. What is the full liability exposure now facing South Australian taxpayers?

3. How much taxpayer funding has been committed to local builder Commercial & General, which was to construct and install the unit?

4. If the project falls over, as now looks likely, what will the government do to recover commitments from taxpayers?

5. What has happened to the $68 million committed by the federal government?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:07): I thank the honourable member for his question. I am happy to pass those questions onto the Treasurer in another place to bring back a reply, particularly any parts that aren't covered by the, I think, 2½-page ministerial statement that was tabled in this chamber today.

I am aware that—I think it was in about 2020—the former Treasurer of South Australia, the Hon. Rob Lucas, agreed to a significant expansion of some of the ways the state government would be liable in relation to this project, but the Treasurer would be across the details, and to the extent that the ministerial statement doesn't answer the honourable member's questions I am happy to bring back answers to those.

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