Estimates Vote

Administered Items for the Department of Treasury and Finance, $1,748,226,000

Minister:

Hon. S.K. Knoll, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning.

Departmental Advisers:

Mr J. Oliver, Chief Executive, HomeStart Finance.

Mr D. De Luca, General Manager, Corporate Services, Renewal SA.

Mr M. Philippou, Director, Commercial and Industrial, Renewal SA.

Mr D. Redden, Project Director, Lot Fourteen, Renewal SA.

The CHAIR: Thank you all. Good morning Estimates Committee A. We begin this morning with the portfolio of HomeStart Finance. The minister appearing is the Minister for Planning. Estimate of payments is administered items for the Department of Treasury and Finance.

The estimates committees are a relatively informal procedure and, as such, there is no need to stand to ask or answer questions. I understand that the minister and the lead speaker for the opposition have agreed an approximate time for the consideration of proposed payments, which will facilitate a change of departmental officers. Can the minister and lead speaker for the opposition confirm that the timetable for today's proceedings, as previously distributed, is accurate?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Chair, just to clarify, I thought the session this morning was for both HomeStart and Urban Renewal; is that correct?

The CHAIR: I have HomeStart at 9 o'clock until 9.30, and then we have to close that at 9.30, I am being advised, to refer it to committee B. We will then, at 9.30, go to the Urban Renewal Authority.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: I did not have that information, Mr Chairman.

The CHAIR: That is the information I have.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Is there a reason that it has been done in that order?

The CHAIR: I have been informed that committee B is considering that Treasury line as well today, so we need to finish—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: At the same time?

The CHAIR: No. That is why we need to finish this one at 9.30. That is the plan. HomeStart Finance will be at 9 o'clock until 9.30. I will continue. If the minister undertakes to supply information at a later date, it must be submitted to the committee secretary by no later than Friday 26 October 2018. Changes to committee membership will be notified as they occur. Members should ensure the Chair is provided with a complete request to be discharged form. I can advise that the following members have requested to be discharged from committee A: the members for King, MacKillop, Newland, Ramsay and Giles. They have been replaced by the members for Davenport, Morphett, Kavel, Light and Badcoe.

There will be a flexible approach to giving the call for asking questions based on about three questions per member, alternating each side; but, as members know, that is not necessarily as it runs. A member who is not part of the committee may ask a question at the discretion of the Chair. Questions must be based on lines of expenditure in the budget papers and must be identifiable or referenced. Members unable to complete their questions during the proceedings may submit them as questions on notice for inclusion in the assembly Notice Paper.

There is no formal facility for the tabling of documents before the committee; however, documents can be supplied to the Chair for distribution to the committee. The incorporation of material in Hansard is permitted on the same basis as applies in the house; that is, it is purely statistical and limited to one page in length. All questions are to be directed to the minister, not the minister's advisers. The minister may refer questions to advisers for a response. The committee's examinations will be broadcast in the same manner as sittings of the house are broadcast, through the IPTV system within Parliament House and via the web stream link to the internet.

I will now proceed to open the following line for examination, as referred to before: the estimate of payments relating to Administered Items for the Department of Treasury and Finance. I declare the proposed payments open for examination and call on the minister to make a brief opening statement if he wishes and introduce his advisers.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: I would like to introduce, on my right, John Oliver, the Chief Executive of HomeStart Finance. To my left is acting chief executive, Damian De Luca, and to his left is Mike Philippou, who is the director of commercial and industrial.

The CHAIR: Does the lead speaker for the opposition wish to make any opening statement?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir.

The CHAIR: The member for West Torrens has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Given public events, I think it would be best if we moved directly to the Urban Renewal Authority, with the agreement of the minister, of course.

The CHAIR: My understanding is that we need to consider HomeStart Finance and have that finished by 9.30am so that it can be considered—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What I am saying is that we consider it now and close it and then move straight to the Urban Renewal Authority for the remainder of the time.

The CHAIR: If that is agreeable?

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: It is fine by me.

The CHAIR: It is fine by the minister. In that instance, member for West Torrens, if you have a question on HomeStart Finance, we can deal with that now.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: No, we are happy for you to close the line and go straight to—

The CHAIR: Okay, so you have no questions?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We have several but, given public events, I think it is important that we move on.

The CHAIR: Alright. There being no questions at this particular time, I declare the examination of the proposed payments for the portfolio of HomeStart Finance to be completed and that the estimates of payments for the Administered Items for the Department of Treasury and Finance to be referred to committee B as that is complete.