House of Assembly: Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Contents

SMALL BUSINESS

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Small Business. Does the minister stand by his comments on television news last night, and I quote, 'We are one of the lowest taxing states in the country for small business,' given that page 44 of Budget Paper 3 highlights the Commonwealth Grants Commission assessment that South Australia has the highest tax effort of any state?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Correctional Services) (15:11): I refer to that publication of note, The Australian. The Australian

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS:The Australian has South Australia as one of the lowest taxed jurisdictions in the nation.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What I was saying yesterday on television was that the Leader of the Opposition went to a small business and said, 'It's the government's fault that power prices are going up,' but refused to mention, or failed to mention—and electricity prices—that she supported the privatisation of our electricity assets. That's the point I was making. I would refer members—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order: the Leader of the Opposition was not even in the parliament when the electricity assets were privatised.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am not sure what point of order that was. However, minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is a matter of record that John Olsen's candidate in the seat of Heysen supported the privatisation of our electricity assets. Did you not?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I stand by it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for MacKillop and the Minister for Mineral Resources will be quiet.

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Croydon will behave also.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!