PUBLIC POLICY DEBATE

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (14:48): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier advise the house about steps taken to improve the public policy debate in this state?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:48): I thank the honourable member for her question. In the first remarks that I made to parliament after having become Premier, I invited members to participate in a debate on policy, concentrating on the things that were important to improve the lives of ordinary South Australians. I also made some points about conducting ourselves respectfully and with civility in relation to public discourse for a very important reason. That is, if we have disputes between us, people will be looking to ask us, as their elected representatives, to set the tone of how we resolve those disputes. How can we expect people to resolve their disputes constructively in the community if we choose to resolve them destructively and behave disrespectfully to each other in this place?

As a government we have sought to bring a number of serious public policy ideas to the attention of the community. We began an important debate around the River Murray and expressed our intention to assert our rights in relation to the river with the forthcoming Murray-Darling Basin Plan. We have also promoted a new approach to urban renewal, proposing the idea of a single body to revitalise our suburbs, towns and the city and deal with the great need there is in our community for affordable housing.

We have outlined changes to the way in which our city, our CBD, operates to rejuvenate it. Shop trading hours is an important new initiative. We have also spoken about the need to have a rejuvenated relationship with the Adelaide City Council. Indeed, in a spectacular act of the lion lying down with the lamb, Anne Moran has come out and welcomed some of our reforms.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I know. That is a welcome development. These are substantial issues, and they are worthy of robust debate but, sadly, those opposite have continued to focus on personalities rather than policy. That has been the feature of what we have seen over the last couple of weeks. We have seen, I think, a dissection of the relationship between members of parliament and their families in a way that I know people on both sides of this house have found distasteful.

The Minister for Education and Child Development has been required to explain her decision to leave her child while she stayed in a Singapore hospital and send that child on a plane. We have had the Minister for Transport Services expected to explain her conduct in respect of non-existent conflicts arising from the fact of her father's conviction. Today, I think in a new low, we have seen a member describe the Prime Minister of Australia in terms that I do not think bear repeating.

I cannot recall an occasion in this parliament when the relationship of a child to a parent has been used in this way to score political points. I also have never heard a prime minister of Australia described in those disparaging terms. These are no more than personal slurs. Ultimately, Madam Speaker, this is a question of leadership. It is a question of standards. I approached the Leader of the Opposition asking for standards to be maintained and that has been incapable of being explained or achieved on that side of the house.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Indeed, it has been steadfastly resisted, as they have refused the offer of a contest of ideas and instead wanted to insist on a bear pit of abuse.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Bragg.

Ms CHAPMAN: The question was about the government's policy forums. We do not want to sit here and have a lecture from the Premier. We want some answers in question time.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Bragg. There is no point of order. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Madam Speaker, we are approaching the end of this parliamentary session and I invite those opposite to reflect on their conduct in this place over the last few weeks.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for MacKillop! You are warned for the second time.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley, you are warned for the second time, also. We will have no shouting across the floor. Member for Kavel.