The winter chill has descended across South Australia in more ways than one and the Malinauskas government may already be reaching for the proverbial “Peter Heater”, writes Mike Smithson.

The Premier’s received chilly receptions from groups and individuals on various cold fronts.

They range from opposition to the $50 million proposed parklands golf course redevelopment, to public sector medicos seeking pay rises and individuals stuck on ambulance ramps.

In my mind, the most ominous warning to the Premier came from an ordinary lady who thought her elderly mother was going to die in the back of a parked ambulance.

91-year-old Pat Turner had suffered a fall and was subsequently ramped at two public hospitals, treated in a corridor and eventually admitted after nearly 24 hours of stress.

“The system’s not fixed, it’s f**ked,” was the brutal assessment from her daughter Libby.

The Health Minister was left to apologise and defend the indefensible.

“I’m truly sorry for what happened,” Chris Picton said.

Picton may well want to take refuge in a ramped ambulance over the coming month as he’s likely to be making more apologies during the long, cold weeks ahead.

Ramping figures released for June show it’s the second-worst month on record.

They’re dead-set........

© InDaily