TREASURER'S REMARKS

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:40): My question is to the Treasurer. Did the Treasurer have a duty as Treasurer to accept a briefing on the cost blowout on the Adelaide Oval upgrade at the Stadium Management Authority briefing on 3 March so that he could properly monitor a taxpayer-funded project? The Treasurer is the minister responsible for the Adelaide Oval project and went into the 3 March meeting knowing of a cost blowout as it was previously advised to him on 19 February.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Federal/State Relations, Minister for Defence Industries) (14:41): As I have said in my statement yesterday in relation to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: —the meeting with Leigh Whicker, I did not consider that to be a formal briefing and I said as such in my statement yesterday. In a subsequent minute of the SMA meeting with the government steering committee, it was noted in that minute that these figures could not and should not be relied upon; they could either go up or down.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The government, at that stage, until just recently when it changed, there was no increased financial exposure for government because our policy was a figure of $450 million capped.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: As we have said now and what we said then is that—and this is where the debate gets confusing in that we have never said—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The government was in a position to provide a capital grant to the SMA: $450 million capped. That was not contingent upon the final cost. They are always able, should they wish at their discretion, to source other funding sources as they are now.