PRISONS

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Deputy Premier—it is breaking news and probably a world first. When did the Deputy Premier shift his principles on the effectiveness and immorality of racking, packing and stacking prisoners in our gaols? Following a trip to Yatala on 24 August 1994 when in opposition, the Deputy Premier said:

If we want prisoners to go into that system and come out with a life, so that they do not reoffend, we have to give them the opportunity. It is without parallel for us to rack 'em pack 'em and stack 'em as we are currently doing in the Adelaide Remand Centre, Yatala and all our state's prisons...We should actually be trying to rehabilitate them...However, the government will never do it when it is racking, packing and stacking them in the prisons.

You are an idiot!

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:13): I ask that the member withdraw that reflection.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: I withdraw the word 'idiot'.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Clearly, in 1994 I was a bleeding heart liberal softie like the Leader of the Opposition—but I have toughened up over the years. Sometimes you have to admit you were wrong to do what is right. If I was a bleeding heart soft liberal back in those days, just like the Leader of the Opposition, I was wrong. The Leader of the Opposition wants to hold me accountable for things I might have said in 1994—14 years ago. I was in opposition in those days. I would have said a lot of things in 1994. I reckon in 1994 I did not think I would ever be in government, quite frankly.

Mr Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Did he?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: A bit before then? I never expected to see government, but I did not realise how much members of the Liberal Party hate each other. Then the leaks started coming. The Olsen forces started leaking to us and then, when Brown went, all sorts of people were leaking the other way. We got rid of them and—

Mr WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. My point of order is relevance. We are wondering when the Deputy Premier had a revelation that you should not be rehabilitating prisoners.

The SPEAKER: Order! Yes; I uphold the point of order. The Deputy Premier needs to turn to the substance of the question.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Clearly, as I said, in 1994, I was wrong. In 2008, I have hardened up and toughened up. If members opposite are concerned about the conditions of our prisons—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Okay, the opposition wants to rehabilitate prisoners.

The Hon. M.D. Rann: They want to let them out.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: They want to let them out, just like they used to. On average, 58 months was the time a prisoner spent in prison under Liberals. Under Labor, on average, it is 74 months. What is more, 500 more prisoners are in gaols because, as the Premier said, we are tough on crime; we are tough on the causes of crime. The triple bunking of prisoners occurred under the Liberal government, are you aware of that?

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Do you want to come over here and ask questions?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: No, I am happy over here. Racking, packing and stacking happened under your government, but you got them out as quickly as you could. We are racking, packing and stacking them, and we are leaving them there longer.