Premier Steven Marshall rules out recalling state parliament, as Labor urges state government to act on Covid-19 ‘plan’

Despite a plea from lower house members, Premier Steven Marshall has ruled out recalling state parliament before the March election.

Premier Steven Marshall has ruled out recalling state parliament before the March election to help with oversight of the Covid pandemic, despite a petition signed by a majority of the members of the lower house.

In a letter to Mr Marshall, Speaker Dan Cregan said parliament adjourned last year “on the basis that the Covid-19 reopening in South Australia would be well-managed without parliamentary oversight”.

“We are deeply concerned that the government has not adequately planned for new variants in its Covid-19 reopening arrangements,” he said.

“Families and individuals are fearful for their safety and confused by unclear messages.

Speaker Dan Cregan (left) sent the petition to Premier Steven Marshall. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Brenton Edwards

“The circumstances now facing our state require the House of Assembly to sit to assist in managing the Covid-19 crisis and to provide parliamentary oversight.”

But, asked about the petition at Thursday’s Covid press conference, Mr Marshall ruled out any recall.

“We’re only a few weeks away now from going into caretaker mode, my focus, 100 per cent now, is on listening to the experts and keeping South Australia safe,” he said.

“That’s going to be my focus and there will be no recall of the parliament prior to the election.”

Earlier, the state opposition released a 15-page “Covid-19 Plan” that makes a broad range of un-costed “suggestions” that they say the state government should act on immediately.

The state government must immediately secure a stockpile of free rapid antigen tests for teachers and students, set up dedicated vaccination sites for young children, and recall state parliament, the opposition said.

But leader Peter Malinauskas stopped short of committing to implement the suggestions himself should he win government at the March state election.

Among the recommendations include securing a “stockpile” of free rapid antigen tests for the state’s teachers and students.

Peter Malinauskas’s first day out of isolation on Thursday. Mr Malinauskas tested positive early last week to Covid-19. He posted a video on social media: “Very nice to be out of isolation!". Picture: @PMalinauskasMP/Twitter.

The Labor Party is also urging the government to open dedicated vaccination sites for children aged five to 11, as well as mobile jab sites at schools.

He suggested to cancel all state government “advertising” and divert the funds into a Covid-19 booster campaign.

High on Labor’s list of suggestions was to immediately recall parliament to establish a law that requires health advice and a “statement of reasons” to be published for each Covid-19 decision that is made.

Mr Malinauskas blasted the state government’s Covid-19 response as the “single biggest public policy failure in our living memory”.

“The decision by the state government to not follow the recommendation of Nicola Spurrier to close our borders to Omicron has been a catastrophic failure,” he said on his first day out of isolation after testing positive to Covid.

Mr Malinauskas did not commit to implementing the measures himself if he wins the next election.

“There are a suite of things that are in this document today that are necessary right now that we shouldn't have to wait for an election to introduce,” he said.

Treasurer Rob Lucas said Mr Malinauskas was “a bloke unfit to govern, in my view”.

“What (he’s) got is a series of un-costed thought bubbles masquerading as serious policies,” Mr Lucas said.

“If you want to be treated seriously as an alternative government … you’re going to have to do a lot better than un-costed thought bubbles, people deserve to know what the cost is.”

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Originally published as Premier Steven Marshall rules out recalling state parliament, as Labor urges state government to act on Covid-19 ‘plan’