AAMI STADIUM

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:52): My question is again to the Treasurer. Treasurer, if you have been negotiating on this proposal for 18 months, why did you announce $100 million for AAMI Stadium 17 months ago?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:53): The question is: we announced $100 million for AAMI 17 months ago, but I was in discussions with the AFL 18 months ago. I think there are two possible scenarios here.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sir, there is an accusation that I have lied. If members wish to take a substantive motion, go right ahead.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I think it was Andrew Demetriou, actually, or Ian McLachlan—I stand to be corrected—or myself. I think it was either Ian or—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I am trying to answer the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order. The Deputy Premier is answering the question. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The 18 months, I think, was used by Andrew. Maybe it was 17 months; maybe it was 20 months.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It's not the last day of school yet. That's tomorrow. The house will come to order.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The house will come to order. I should not have to get on my feet again. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Mr Speaker, I have been in negotiations for a long period of time, whether it is 18, 17 or 20—

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I would not have thought that was such a major issue. I think it is 18, but if it was 17, 19, or 17 and three weeks, it is true that the issue of the $100 million allocation by this government towards AAMI did work as a catalyst for Andrew Demetriou to make initial contact with the Premier and me—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: —hang on, you want an answer—and Ian McLachlan. The suggestion put—and I can remember meetings with the Premier and subsequent meetings that Ian McLachlan and I had, including having them in Melbourne—was this: if we are going to put $100 million into AAMI Stadium, which would also necessitate SANFL borrowing a substantial amount of money, and looking at the age of Football Park and the capital required over an extended period and the issues about falling attendances and complaints from TV stations about ratings and the conditions for media—Andrew Demetriou spoke to me and the Premier, and Ian McLachlan raised it—before that money is expended, should we not consider whether there is a better way to go forward?

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley will come to order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: What we did in that situation was it was business as usual, that that money would be provided to the SANFL, unless this proposal that we had developed into a real deal. Now, discussions in the embryonic stages for the first six to 12 months were really kicking around ideas, options, possibilities and scenarios.

At the same time, the SANFL's position, quite clearly, was that they would continue to redevelop the home of football, Football Park. Yes, the global financial crisis came along. We had a substantial problem with our capital, and as I said at the time of that announcement, we deferred the prisons and we deferred Football Park beyond the forward estimates, quite a separate issue as to the discussions we were having with SACA and SANFL. It was about identifying lumps of capital that could be jettisoned as we went through the financial crisis—prudent budget management.

What occurred was parallel discussions between the various bodies, whilst the SANFL were still considering their options. When, of course, the $100 million was deferred indefinitely because of the GFC, the SANFL stopped their planning for the extension of Football Park. If this deal had never been thought of or driven by the government and Andrew Demetriou—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: —Footy Park would be refurbished. The sensible position the AFL took—they liked the idea of football in a city stadium—

Mr Williams: That's a revelation.

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Revelation! I have said it repeatedly. But the AFL thought it was a waste of money and they were not seeking a brand new inner city stadium when you had the best piece of turf—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Have you ever been to Adelaide Oval, by the way, leader?

Mrs Redmond: Absolutely.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: You have? You have been to Adelaide Oval.

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: She must be a dancer; maybe a rave party?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The Leader of the Opposition goes to rave parties but she has never been to Football Park.

Mrs Redmond: What has that got to do with the question?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Just your priorities. The reality is that we as a government brokered and assisted a series of discussions over a protracted period. Whether it was 17, 18 or 19 months, I cannot be certain, but it was around that time line.