INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (16:38): Has the Premier backflipped on his personal opposition to an independent commission against corruption, and does he now agree with the Liberal opposition that an ICAC should be formed as soon as practicable? Today, on ABC Radio, when asked if we will get an ICAC, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said, 'We are open to considered changes in that area as necessary.' When asked by ABC presenter, David Bevan, 'Is that a yes or a no?' the Attorney-General replied, 'It's a maybe.'

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON (Croydon—Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (16:38): South Australia has several very good anti-corruption bodies, including the Ombudsman—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: —the Anti-Corruption Branch of the police, the Auditor-General, and the Police Complaints Authority, and it does not stop there.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: What is being proposed with an independent commission against corruption is an outfit that will cost between $30 million and $40 million. We are talking about an outfit that would be three times the size of the current Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. We will be spending money wisely.