ADELAIDE OVAL

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:29): When the $450 million Adelaide Oval upgrade was announced by the Premier on 2 December 2009, why did he mislead the South Australian people—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, Minister for Transport.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Well, you're not allowed to make any allegation of any kind. The point, Madam Speaker, is that you are not allowed to put debate into your question.

Mr Pisoni: What's the standing order, Patrick?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Against debate. If I might, without the help of that brilliant parliamentary tactician on the other side, the member for Unley—

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order, minister?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I simply make the point if they—

The SPEAKER: Minister, what is your point of order?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: The point of order is that if debate is going to be put into the question, they cannot question the Premier when he debates the answer.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold that point of order. I think, Premier, the leader has not finished her question because I'm not quite sure what the question is yet.

Mrs REDMOND: Perhaps I should start again, Madam Speaker?

The SPEAKER: It might be an idea, but you will stick to the question.

Mrs REDMOND: Again, to the Premier: when the $450 million Adelaide Oval upgrade was announced by the Premier on 2 December 2009, why did he mislead the South Australian people saying that the upgraded oval was 'going to be FIFA compliant—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker: the allegation that the Premier misled the people of South Australia is debate.

The SPEAKER: I uphold that point of order. I would rephrase that if I were you, leader.

Mrs REDMOND: I will reword the question, Madam Speaker. When the Premier announced the upgraded oval for $450 million on 2 December 2009, why did he say it was 'going to be FIFA compliant'—this is the $450 million upgrade—'which means it will be able to host games for the World Cup if we win it for Australia', when the Treasurer has now confirmed that the stadium won't be FIFA compliant even after this state spends $535 million on the upgrade?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You ask the question, you want to hear the answer.

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) (14:32): It is interesting, however, that the man who has been dumped as deputy leader of the opposition—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: I can't understand why there could be a point of order at this stage, but yes, deputy leader, what is your point of order?

Mr WILLIAMS: Relevance. Madam Speaker, the leader was asked, and she complied with the request, to change the question to make it comply with the standing orders. We would expect under those circumstances that the Premier would actually answer the question.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. He has only said 10 words so far.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The question of relevance is about the credibility of the opposition. The announcement that was made—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We are lucky there are no school children in the gallery today.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The announcement that we made, the announcement of the commitment that the government of South Australia was prepared to make, was based on the advice of the football and cricket authorities which includes former Liberal federal minister Ian McLachlan, the head of the South Australian Cricket Association.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Can I say this: what we announced was the setting up of an SMA, a group that brought the partners and parties together and, as a result of about five or six months' work, they have now come back with revised figures. But there were no figures. The Liberals' own then deputy leader admitted that his figures were spin. What we are talking about will be part of a huge redevelopment of the River Torrens precinct which will include a world class hospital—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —which will include a world class health research science centre, which will include a $400 million upgrade of the Convention Centre and a new upgraded Adelaide Oval. So, this way you get both.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: You get a hospital and you get a stadium.