GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen) (16:50): Why has the Premier decided that government-funded political advertising is to be increased while at the same time demanding budget cuts of 6 per cent across government programs? The Treasurer recently told the media that government departments would be 'cut to the bone' due to the deterioration of state finances, but at the same time the Premier has increased advertising campaigns for re-election, spending thousands on TV and radio commercials.

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) (16:51): No, that is not correct at all. In fact, I would expect that, if there is a diminution in funding for government departments—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Obviously, we are not, of course, talking about doing what the former government did in cutting back on hospital beds. As you know, what we are doing is having a sixfold increase in infrastructure spending compared to when you were in power. We have record numbers of police, record numbers of doctors, record numbers of nurses and massively increased expenditure on education. I expect that, if there were to be savage cuts, those cuts would also apply to government advertising. I should say that I am aware that the Adelaide Advertiser has been campaigning on this issue to cut expenditure on advertising and, as far as I am aware, we are a major advertiser in that newspaper. Obviously, all of those things would have to be reviewed, along with the spending cuts.

Mr Pisoni: Is that a threat?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: No, it is not a threat. What it is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

An honourable member: It's a fact.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: It's a fact. Our biggest expenditure in advertising—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You are calling on it to be cut, so where do you suggest it be cut?

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: They should be shared equally; we are all in this together.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!