GOVERNMENT PROBITY

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. Do the probity guidelines relating to the proposed $1.7 billion—

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Start again, please.

Mr GRIFFITHS: I thought I was quite clear until the interjection from the Treasurer, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Indeed. Please continue.

Mr GRIFFITHS: Thank you. Do the probity guidelines relating to the proposed $1.7 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital project allow consortium bidders to attend Labor Party SA Progressive Business dinners and to be seated at the same table as the Premier?

Mr Andrew Newman, a senior representative of a consortium bidding for the proposed new RAH, was shown in a seating plan published in The Advertiser at a much-publicised Labor Party SA Progressive Business dinner at the wine centre on 1 October 2009 clearly sitting at the same table as the Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:32): I thank—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Pisoni: The Premier stays away from that one.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Well, I am actually responsible for it, and can I say that everyone knows my views about the deputy leader. I was attacked twice on morning radio this week by Rob Lucas—

Mr WILLIAMS: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order.

The SPEAKER: Order, the Deputy Premier!

Mr WILLIAMS: The question was directed to the Premier. The Deputy Premier stood up in the belief that he could answer it but he is not trying to answer it, sir. I request you draw him back to the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacKillop will take his seat. The Deputy Premier must answer the substance of the question.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: And I intend to, Mr Speaker. The shadow treasurer has his committee meetings on this very issue. Mr Lucas has the standing committee on finance and the budget, whatever he calls it, which indeed has covered many of these issues. Clearly, Mr Lucas, as the opposition's chief finance and Treasury spokesperson, debates me regularly on these issues. The embarrassing state is that it is bland and blander when it comes to finance.

Mr WILLIAMS: I have a point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: You have already ruled that the Deputy Premier should address the substance of the question. He is clearly disregarding your ruling. It is about the government's probity with regard to the Royal Adelaide Hospital tendering process.

The SPEAKER: Order! I am sure the Deputy Premier is about to make clear the relevance of what he is saying to the question.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: It is a joined up argument, sir. I am glad Mr Lucas has written a question for the shadow finance minister in the lower house to ask me. With regard to probity—and I could understand why Mr Lucas would not ask me this question, given his track record—the government has a very strict probity plan. We have very—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams: Come and sit here and we will talk about it.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Are you suggesting impropriety by government?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Mr Speaker, I do not intend to combat the barrage of abuse opposite. If members want an answer, I am happy to provide it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The probity process is very strict as it relates to Labor Party functions and/or meetings that we as ministers may find ourselves in with people conducting the—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sorry, do you want me to answer it or do you want to do the answering for me?

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I am trying to give you an answer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The advice that we have on probity is quite clear: it is forbidden for government ministers to enter into dialogue relating to the hospital project as it relates to the tendering process. If there is to be dialogue, that dialogue must be sanctioned through the probity process, which includes the Crown Solicitor and the head of Treasury and Finance and for officers to be in attendance at those meetings to ensure that there is no inappropriate discussion. I have made sure that we have observed those processes. They are incumbent upon government ministers and they are incumbent upon contractors. It is very strictly applied—

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: It is very strictly applied. People are not banned at all from attending functions that may be run by the Labor Party.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sorry?

Mrs Redmond: I said they are happily encouraged.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: They are encouraged, are they? The tenderers are encouraged to come to our functions; is that what you are saying?

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: You are saying that, are you? So, you are implying that we are doing something wrong?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: No wonder you are having trouble—

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sorry?

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Steve, you are embarrassing your own side in your role as the shadow. You are the weakest Treasury spokesperson the Liberal Party has ever, ever, ever had. You are the weakest, weakest shadow treasurer.

Members interjecting:

Ms CHAPMAN: Sir—

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Bragg will take her seat. Everyone calm down please. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The deputy leader is the weakest shadow treasurer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier will take his seat. We will move on.