Question Time

TOUR DOWN UNDER

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): Will the Premier support legislation to enable the 2009 Tour Down Under to be declared the world's first smoke-free major cycling event? The announcement in New York yesterday that Lance Armstrong will bring to Adelaide his global profile and his commitment to cancer prevention and research was a coup for the Tour Down Under, now in its 11^th year. It came on the same day that legislation was proposed in the other place by Liberal MLC David Ridgway that would enable local councils and governments to coordinate their powers to declare a specific place or event as smoke-free.

Mr Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation is committed to promoting anti-cancer programs and cancer prevention messages. In a world first, this event could be declared smoke-free and focus attention on South Australia as a state committed to a healthier lifestyle. The government rejected this legislation when it was first proposed, but the Premier can now perhaps see it in a different light. I am wearing the Livestrong wristband now—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader is no longer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will take his seat. When I call the Leader of the Opposition or any member to order they must sit down, not try to talk over the Speaker. The Premier.

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) (14:20): I was going through some of the clippings from last year's event, and it was really interesting. Even though we had a whole series of the world's great cyclists participating in the Tour Down Under—those who went on to win a series of stages and who were big stars of the Tour Down Under, the Robbie McEwens and the Stuart O'Gradys—we saw an incredible and extraordinary attack on the Tour Down Under by the South Australian Liberal Party. It even came out and attacked the fact that we had signed the ProTour agreement, and claimed that millions of dollars had been passed over in licence fees—totally wrong.

Even though 15,000 visitors had come from around the world and interstate to attend the event—at that stage the biggest number of attendees of any event that we have had; bigger than even the Clipsal 500—the Liberal Party tried to white ant it. So, I made a prediction today, because I heard that the Leader of the Opposition had a staff member ringing around the country trying to get dirt. Ultimately, my challenge to the Leader of the Opposition is this: put your state before your party, because ultimately—

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: I rise on a point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will take his seat. The Leader of the Opposition.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: Standing orders require ministers to answer the question. The question is about lung cancer and cancer prevention.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier does need to turn to the substance of the question. The Premier.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Basically, I am challenging the Leader of the Opposition to put his state before his party, because being a leader in this place is about being a patriot for South Australia. Only he would criticise and try to undermine the Tour Down Under. In terms of his question, let me state this today: I will be making a series of announcements in terms of cancer prevention with Lance Armstrong in the lead-up to the finale of the Tour Down Under, which Lance Armstrong has every intention of winning.