TRADE UNION GRANTS

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:57): You just make sure you balance the budget without borrowing anything, okay? My question is to the Premier. Has the Premier—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Dr McFETRIDGE: —received the first report, due last January, on how trade unions have spent $3 million given to them by a cabinet decision in December 2006, and what steps has he taken to address requirements of the Auditor-General regarding administration of the grants? In December 2006 the government granted $3 million to trade unions from an occupational health and safety fund within SafeWork SA. The Australian Electoral Commission's website reveals that many of these unions provided significant funding support to the ALP during the 2006 election campaign. In his 2007 report, the Auditor-General noted that the recipients of the grants are required to provide specific accountability statements on how the money is spent. The minister has advised this house that the first of those accountability statements was due last January.

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) (14:58): Suddenly, just for a couple of days, the opposition was pretending that it was a friend of the unions, although no-one on this side of the house believed that. But it is very interesting, and we remember some of the big grants that were given to businesses and industries, including—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Yes, there was Motorola, and a whole range of others. We remember how the TAB was sold for a song. They talk about an ICAC. Imagine an ICAC into the sale of the TAB or the—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will take his seat.

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacKillop has a point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: The point of order is one of relevance, sir. The question was specifically about the report that was due to be tabled in January.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. The Premier will return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It is very interesting that you never criticise grants to industries, only to the unions that you pretend are your new best friends. Anyway, I will get a report for the honourable member.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Frome.

The Hon. R.G. KERIN: I rise on a point of order, sir. I just happened to notice that the Deputy Premier said that half our former colleagues would be in gaol, and I ask him to withdraw that comment.

The SPEAKER: I did not hear that remark.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sir, I withdraw.

The SPEAKER: Order! I did not hear the remark but we can move things along if the Deputy Premier has withdrawn the remark.