Chairman of "Save the RAH" Committee's Speech

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Fellow workers and friends of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. This is an amazing and serious demonstration of what this place means to our community. About 300 people have turned up today and many who could not be here, have sent their good wishes and support. A little example from Mrs Dolless, “I am 88 and my husband 84, we support you and your Committee.” Many of you were disappointed that you didn’t have a chance to be with us three weeks ago, when this campaign erupted. Events moved so quickly that there was no opportunity to do so but now, we must unite and fight for our right to speak. We must tell everyone and especially our government that this proposal is a big mistake. We know it is a huge mistake, for the simple reason that it is a world recognised health institution and we don’t want to close it. Put it elsewhere and it will never be the same.

Everyone here has specific reasons for wanting to keep the hospital but I will briefly list the Committee’s reasons.

  1. The traditions of high quality patient care dating back more than 150 years. Irreplaceable.
  2. We save tax payers’ money by taking the preferred option to redevelop and rebuild the RAH. Money is left over to spend on the QEH, FMC and other services. We don’t want another State Bank or Remm-Myer disaster.
  3. The RAH needs the new accommodation wing now. It would be the jewel in the crown after rebuild of the ED, Intensive Care Unit, Burns Unit and Renal Dialysis Unit. It is about fiscal responsibility.
  4. There are established networks of undergraduate and post-graduate teaching. Priceless.
  5. There are unique benefits in having the RAH, the IMVS, the Medical and Dental School, University of Adelaide and the Hanson Research Institute on one campus. This health science hub is the envy of health professionals all over the world. It would be wrong to throw away this asset. If Mr Hill said “bowl over the Flinders Medical Centre”, it would be wrong for the same reasons.
  6. The importance of the RAH brand speaks for itself. Priceless.

It’s been said that we have come forward for political reasons. That is strongly denied. Let me ask by a show of hands who is here for political reasons? Raise your hands. None. We would be opposed if this was put up by the Greens, Liberal or Labor or anybody else.

In opposition, parties say they want to listen, in government, they don’t consult. Does anyone here know of any person who was consulted before the decision was made to close the RAH? We on the Committee, have asked that question and know of no such person. If you do, come forward, because you are a rare bird. What other review, consultative process or due diligence was carried out beforehand? None that we have seen or heard about.

Government says that it has to govern. We say, give us the tour down under, even give us the tramline but don’t take away the best investment of our health portfolio, the jewel in the crown.

It is said that we can’t rebuild RAH. There’ll be too much inconvenience and dust – we say that’s bulldust, we’ve done it before and it will have to be done again wherever a hospital is. People are not soft. Patients and RAH staff are not soft. That is a weak excuse compared with losing the jewel in the crown.

We ask that the government put an end to secrecy, confidentiality agreements and the denigration of health workers and staff. Let’s start the process all over again in a rational way, employing all the resources that South Australians have to offer. Let the government consult widely and transparently with experts and with ordinary citizens. To help focus our concerns, our Committee wishes to present a number of resolutions for you to consider and to vote on. These have been distributed amongst you and what I will do is firstly read them all out together and then come back to them individually for voting.

Resolution 1:
We request that the SA Government reverse its decision to close the RAH.

Resolution 2:
We request that the RAH redevelopment be re-started NOW.

Resolution 3
We request that the SA Government give answers to the questions:

  • Who recommended a new hospital?
  • What are their names?
  • And by which process was this decision made?

Resolution 4

  • We request that the South Australian Government agree to a public debate and discussion about closure of RAH.
  • We invite the Minister of Health to a public discussion in two weeks' time in the Robson Theatre, RAH or at a time of his choosing in the near futura.

I thank you for your supreme efforts in gathering here today and in helping us to get our message to government. We will write to the Minister of Health and ask for his response.

To further strengthen our support for the Royal Adelaide Hospital, please sign the petition that is circulating and do whatever you can, to assist our cause. Talk to others, ask for public discussion. Write to your MPs. Telephone your MPs. Keep asking questions. I know you will do this respectfully and earnestly and do the RAH proud. SAVE THE RAH and let us have three cheers for the RAH... Long live the RAH.

J Katsaros