Grievance Debate

CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:31): Today, we exposed the Premier's 'mirage in the square' or the 'TARDIS university'. Premier Mike Rann's claim that the UK-based Cranfield University has a campus in Adelaide is nothing more than a hoax. Cranfield University's Adelaide campus was opened by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent in 2007 and has since been regularly promoted by the Premier as part of his pet university city project. Premier Mike Rann told the National Press Club in 2008 (forget what he said today) that 'we are also home to a campus of UK-based Cranfield University'—not a presence, a campus is what he told the National Press Club.

Of course, this Premier has a record of telling the media one thing but something else when he is in the parliament, when he knows he is held accountable. He is not held accountable when he speaks to the media, but he is held accountable when he speaks in this place. That is why often we get different stories out of the Premier in the chamber from those he tells the media. It has been a dishonest campaign by this Premier. How do we know that?

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: On a point of order, the member for Unley has accused another member of the house of dishonesty. I take objection. I ask him to withdraw.

The SPEAKER: I am sorry; I could not hear for the noise that was happening in the chamber what actually happened. I understand you are accusing the Premier of being dishonest; is that right?

Mr PISONI: No, the member for Croydon—

The SPEAKER: I suggest you withdraw any allegations.

Mr PISONI: I did not say that the Premier was dishonest. All South Australians know the Premier is honest, and that is why they believe him over Michelle Chantelois, but the point here is that I was saying that it was a dishonest campaign. I did not say that the Premier was dishonest.

The SPEAKER: I will uphold that point.

Mr PISONI: The Cranfield University in London has advised that there is no campus in Adelaide and that no students have been registered. This was in an email direct from Cranfield University in the UK. Phone calls to Cranfield University's Adelaide office are sent to a message bank and returned by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, with departmental staff advising that the Department of the Premier and Cabinet is currently managing the office. The Department of the Premier and Cabinet staff also advise that there are no courses available. Despite the Premier's claim, there are no courses available and the office is closed for the interim.

The door into the Cranfield University campus in Victoria Square is locked. The Leader of the Opposition and I tried it today and, no, we could not get in; it was locked. The Cranford University website does not list the Adelaide campus under 'Our locations', and the South Australian contact email for the university website bounces back, saying 'user unknown'.

So, this is the campus that the Premier of South Australia, supported by his cabinet, has said resides here in Adelaide as part of that university campus. We know that the Premier has form when it comes to false campuses in South Australia and $250,000 in dead rent paid for the second campus of Carnegie Mellon University. We all remember that—the Entertainment and Technology Centre, $250,000 paid by taxpayers of South Australia for another pet project of the Premier of South Australia. Then what happens? We get budget cuts to our hospitals, our schools—budget cuts right throughout the state budget because this government cannot manage its finances. It is happy to provide money for pet projects for the Premier so that he can be out there and rub shoulders with the rich and famous.

What are some of the names that we have heard the Premier drop? We all know about Lance Armstrong and the Duke of Kent. There was some relative of Kennedy and, of course, there was Dunn Gifford who was there when Kennedy was shot. Do you remember that story from the Premier? His camera was up there filming the whole lot, and he put it on his website. Beautiful, Premier! Absolutely beautiful! Very self-indulgent, I must say. That is this government.

How do we know that the Premier is running a fake campus of Cranfield here in South Australia? Because his office told us. A phone call to his office on the number advised by the return call left on the message machine—and I know it is getting complicated, but there was a message machine. The phone does not even ring actually; it goes straight to a message machine at Cranfield University and then it is returned by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

We will not reveal the names of those engaged in this conversation but the member of staff at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet answered, 'University City project. So-and-so speaking.' The caller: 'Yes, my name is such and such, and I have a message on my phone from you. It was a couple of weeks ago.'

The SPEAKER: The member's time has expired. I think you probably need to continue these remarks at a later time.