SHARED SERVICES

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (15:02): I have a supplementary question. Given the answer to that question and earlier questions—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: —I ask my question to the Treasurer or the Premier, whoever would like to answer. Who, ultimately, is responsible for the success or failure of the shared services program? Which minister is responsible to the parliament for its success or failure? Is it the Treasurer, is it the minister for administrative services, or is it the Minister for Finance? Is it all of those, or who is it?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:03): Cabinet is responsible, and the Minister for Finance has personal responsibility for the project, reporting to cabinet. The cabinet is responsible. I know that the member was a minister for a only very short period—about six weeks, I think—but, essentially, what happens is that there is a cabinet, which also forms as Executive Council with the minister, and there is cabinet responsibility: but there is portfolio responsibility with the relevant minister, which is the Minister for Finance. I would have thought that was easily understood.