House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Personal Explanation Personal Explanation Coal to Fuel Proposal COAL TO FUEL PROPOSAL Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly MacKillop Deputy Leader of the Opposition Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:22): I seek leave to make a personal explanation. Leave granted. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: Today, in question time, the Minister for Infrastructure made several allegations against myself, claiming, firstly, that I got it wrong with regard to a liquids berth at Point Lowly. For the record, I had a briefing from Central Petroleum and Allied Resource last week. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. The personal explanation is not an opportunity to canvass the issue at length: it is an opportunity to say exactly what I said and where I got it wrong, not to canvass it at length. It has never been allowed for that. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: That is exactly what I am doing. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, it's not. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: That is exactly what I am doing. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I will listen to your explanation. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: I specifically asked the company if the liquids berth at Point Lowly— The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order. Mrs Redmond interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I see the Leader of the Opposition is angry again. Anger may be an energy, but it's not a policy. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: He needs to say what I have said that is wrong and make a brief explanation as to why it is wrong. I point out that if he wants to say I was wrong he can always take a privilege matter, if he has the ticker for it. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I uphold that point of order. Get to your point very quickly. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: In another matter, the minister said that I got it wrong in saying that he took two years to assess a proposal from the consortium wishing to build a port at Point Bonython. Might I say that the record shows that The Advertiser on 24 March— The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: this is an argument. This is not a personal explanation. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: I am presenting the facts. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Tell us what the facts are. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: I am about to. If you give me time, I will tell you. The record shows that The Advertiser, on 24 March 2009— The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: how does he seek to rely on The Advertiser for a factual explanation? The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister. The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The member is actually explaining that last point; I listened carefully to it. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: It said: Gulf port study lodged: The Spencer Gulf Port Link Consortium has lodged a feasibility study with the state government for its Port Bonython export proposal. The record also shows that on 16 May 2011, a bit over two years later, the minister put out a press release saying, 'Agreement paves the way for exciting next step at Port Bonython.' The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order. That is plainly an argument from an embarrassed buffoon. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister. Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly Mr WILLIAMS: It is on the record: I am right and you are wrong! The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, member for MacKillop! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. It is not open for him to say I am wrong unless he does so by substantive motion. He is allowed to do a personal explanation. If he wants a matter of privilege I suggest the buffoon screw his courage to the sticking place and do it. Members interjecting: An honourable member House of Assembly An honourable member: Point of order. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you members! There will be no more discussion on this point. No; I am not even going to take the point of order. The house will note grievances. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! If there is any more of this carry-on I will close the parliament down. The minister will leave the chamber. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! This is a house of parliament, not a zoo. The house will note grievances.