Question Time

MEMBER FOR MAWSON

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question is to the parliamentary secretary for health. Why does the parliamentary secretary for health think that the community has stopped listening to the government's message on health?

The SPEAKER: That question is out of order. Questions are asked of ministers, not of parliamentary secretaries.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The member has been appointed as a parliamentary secretary, and he is making public comments—

The SPEAKER: Sit down. There is no point of order there. I have been here for 14 years and I have never seen a parliamentary secretary answer a question. It may not be in the standing orders but the convention is, so I would ask you to sit down.

Mrs REDMOND: I know that it is possible to ask a member of this house a question, and so I will ask my question to the member for Mawson. Could he explain why he thinks that the community has stopped listening to the government's message on health?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The member for Mawson has no responsibility to this house for his views on matters that are not his responsibility.

The SPEAKER: Absolutely. I was about to bring that point up, also. No, there is no point of order there.

Mr WILLIAMS: Can I seek a point of clarification?

The SPEAKER: You can seek a point of clarification, and you have been here as long as I have, member for MacKillop.

Mr WILLIAMS: I have, indeed. Madam Speaker, what is the point of having a parliamentary secretary? Do they have any purpose at all?

The SPEAKER: They are certainly not here to answer questions in the house. Questions are asked of ministers or the Premier, and you know that.

Mrs REDMOND: Madam Speaker, in that case I will ask a question of the Premier. Does the Premier agree with the member for Mawson that South Australians are no longer listening to the government's message; and, if he doesn't agree with that assertion, will he sack the member as the parliamentary secretary for health?

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) (14:27): The answer is no and no.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! As members know, we do not ask people who are not ministers questions in this house. I have never seen in my time here anyone who was not a minister answer a question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PISONI: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley.

Mr PISONI: The minister for agriculture in the previous parliament asked the member for Hammond a question, so I cannot let you say that you have not seen it in this place.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. It is argument.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am sorry, I did not hear what the Minister for Transport said, but I can say in response that the speaker did allow the question but then ruled later that it was out of order for him to answer that question, and we can go through and find the Hansard if you require that. Minister for Transport, did you have another point to make? I did not hear—I was discussing with the Clerk that issue.

Mr PEDERICK: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order. What point of order?

Mr PEDERICK: It is 303: point of clarification.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I will give you the benefit of the doubt.

Mr PEDERICK: I would like to seek clarification, Madam Speaker, because I was certainly asked a question by a previous minister for agriculture, and I was quite happy to take it and I did, as I was allowed to by—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PEDERICK: —the former speaker, and I did answer it.

The SPEAKER: Order! As I said, it was ruled out of order afterwards.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We will get back to sensible questions and serious questions for the day. The member for Taylor.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!