Minister Snelling stands condemned for wasting $40 million on an IT project blowout at a time when hospitals cannot meet the demand for emergency treatment for patients. Minister Snelling apologised today for the latest example of ‘queuing’ or ‘ramping’ in hospitals when he apologised for queuing in the corridors at the Royal Adelaide Hospital on…
DetailsSUPPLY BILL 2013 Adjourned debate on second reading. (Continued from 4 June 2013.) The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:21): It is opportune that we get the opportunity to speak to the Supply Bill debate on a day of infamy, I suppose, for the state with the latest series of broken promises and rank financial mismanagement by…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:37): I want to address the stench that attracts to the carcass of the current Labor government and the many reasons I believe for the government’s problems. The first I want to address is the quality of advice it receives from the ministerial staff within its offices. Sadly, what we see…
DetailsAdjourned debate on second reading. (Continued from 30 April 2013.) The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (17:00): I rise to support the second reading of the Adelaide Workers’ Homes Bill. Again, this is a relatively simple bill that seeks to establish a new constitution for the organisation. It seeks to change the name of the organisation from…
DetailsThe Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:53): I rise to conclude my remarks from yesterday. I put a number of questions to the minister and I assume that if we are proceeding today the minister will have answers to those questions at either the conclusion of the second reading or at clause 1 of the committee stage,…
DetailsAdjourned debate on second reading. (Continued from 2 May 2013.) The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (16:33): I rise unexpectedly to speak to the second reading, having made the mistake of following the government’s priorities as outlined on the schedule given to us today. An honourable member interjecting: The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Exactly. You would think I…
DetailsShadow Health Minister Rob Lucas said today the Weatherill Labor Government was trying to keep secret the results of confidential planning studies done for the current RAH site. “A senior source within SA Health has confirmed just prior to the last state election the Government commissioned Woodhead International to undertake a major master planning exercise…
DetailsA critical question about whether ‘training was effective and relevant’ has been left unanswered in the BreastScreen report, Shadow Health Minister Rob Lucas said today. Associate Professor Warwick Lee’s report, released yesterday, on page 6 concluded: “The PACS audit did not find a conclusive factor that led to lower cancer detection rates. A definitive judgement…
DetailsEvidence to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee has confirmed the Shared Services SA (SSSA) project is in shambles. Government Services Group Executive Director Chris Oerman confirmed yesterday that not one Government department or agency had taken up the option of allowing SSSA to manage their ICT functions on their behalf. The original plan…
DetailsA former Fairfax Media columnist was paid $1,500 by South Australian taxpayers to write Mr Weatherill’s first major speech after becoming Premier. The speech was delivered by Mr Weatherill to the ALP state convention the day after he took over the premiership from Mike Rann in October 2011. The Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee…
DetailsShadow Minister for Health Rob Lucas said today doctors held ‘grave concerns’ that ramping problems experienced at the FMC would be replicated at the NRAH. SA Health sources have confirmed that the Weatherill Labor Government has adopted exactly the same design for the Emergency Department at the NRAH as already exists at the FMC. The…
DetailsPremier Weatherill must ensure that Health Minister Jack Snelling stops procrastinating and resolves the rapidly escalating South Coast Doctor crisis. More than 30 doctors that provide after hour care at the South Coast District Hospital at Victor Harbor and other medical services have quit because of funding disagreements with Country Health SA. These resignations will…
DetailsShadow Health Minister Rob Lucas said today Health Minister Snelling had to ‘back off’ and ensure government-employed media officers did not provoke industrial action by ambulance officers. Yesterday a government-employed media officer from Flinders Medical Centre (FMC) clashed verbally with a TV cameraman and ambulance officers as the Weatherill Labor Government sought to prevent filming…
DetailsThe Weatherill Labor Government is so embarrassed about its failure to control ramping at Flinders Medical Centre it is attempting to restrict media coverage. The Ambulance Employees’ Association has revealed that security has erected barriers to prevent media photographing or filming the ramped ambulances. Shadow Health Minister Rob Lucas said today’s events were further evidence…
DetailsJust one day after Premier Weatherill promised no more ‘political bulldust,’ Minister Snelling has just dumped a truckload of it on long suffering rural South Australians. Earlier this week, Minister Snelling finally relented after a long campaign by rural South Australians and the State Liberals and announced a review of the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme…
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