GUARDIANSHIP BOARD

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen) (14:47): My question is to the Premier. What steps has the Premier taken to ensure that the newly appointed President of the Guardianship Board has not been given the highly paid position as a result of his candidacy for the ALP in the 2002 election? The appointment of Jeremy Moore as President of the Guardianship Board was gazetted on 27 March 2008. Mr Moore was a candidate on the ALP's Legislative Council ticket in 2002. He takes over from the person who had been acting in the position as president of the Guardianship Board for eight months, had been deputy president for eight years, but was not even given the opportunity to apply for the position.

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) (14:48): From memory, Mr Moore has been a critic of this government—in fact, a considerable critic of this government and me, but I guess that is why we also believe in appointing people like Dean Brown to advise us on water; David Wotton; reappointing Frances Nelson; why I came out and strongly supported the appointment of Amanda Vanstone to the position as Ambassador to Rome; and I have to say that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —I thought it was extraordinary that I was not joined by members opposite. In this regard I mention also the appointment of Robert de Crespigny, who had been heavily involved with the Liberal Party, as chair of the Economic Development Board and Caroline Hewson as a member of that board. Those appointments and, of course, the appointment to our government of Rory McEwen, the head of the National Party in this state, shows that we are bigger people and that we are prepared to appoint people on the basis—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —of ability rather than on the basis of their party origins. That is the difference between us.