House of Assembly: Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Contents

WATER BILLING

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop) (14:56): My question is to the minister for administrative services. Minister, did you, during your term as minister responsible for SA Water, understand that water billing is retrospective, and did you know that this was still the case when the current minister brought her water pricing submission to cabinet last November?

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:56): Firstly, there is not a minister for administrative services, and the member knows full well that you can only ask ministers questions about those areas that they are responsible for.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms Chapman interjecting:

Mr WILLIAMS: Exactly, as the Treasurer points out, because he cannot be responsible for what the minister for administrative services may or may not have known when he was the appropriate minister—because we know what he knew.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am not sure whether the Deputy Premier was answering the question or drawing a point of order. As he rightly points out, there is no longer a minister for administrative services. The member for Hammond.