FORESTRYSA

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:39): My question is to the Treasurer. Can he explain why it is good policy to sell the harvesting rights to the state's forests, which produce an income for the state, when the government has announced a committee to consider establishing a future fund to produce an income for the state?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:39): There is a complete difference between the government being an owner/operator of forestry assets and a government entity like a future fund investing in partnership with a commercial—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —forestry operator and investing in an asset. They are completely different. I am surprised that the member for Davenport lacks the economic literacy to understand the distinction—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They are so rattled after their so-called love-in down in Mount Gambier, where the Leader of the Opposition was pulling knives out of her back.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. This has no relevance to the question asked. Might I suggest, Madam Speaker, that if ministers learn to answer questions as per standing order 97, question time might go a lot more peacefully.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Shall I explain this to you?

The SPEAKER: If members did not interject, we would not have this problem. Minister.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: You need a standing order to be able to speak. You need one. Let me explain it to you. For the benefit of the Leader of the Opposition, who does not believe it, interjections are out of order—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you are warned for the second time.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: If I can help the member for Norwood, the point is that you need a standing order to be able to speak. You need an order.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I am taking a point of order. I am allowed to do that. Interjections, you are not allowed to do. Now, unless you have another question about animals, I suggest you keep quiet. I simply make the point, Madam Speaker, that the Treasurer was answering the question entirely on point until interrupted by a barrage of out-of-order interjections.

Mr PISONI: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it not out of order to respond to interjections?

The SPEAKER: That was my point and the minister's point exactly. Treasurer, could you get back to the substance of the question, please?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Madam Speaker, I apologise, indeed. The fact is that we have had a very pleasing level of initial interest in the forward sale of the forestry harvest, and it gives me—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for MacKillop, you are warned.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —great cause for optimism about this process and great cause for optimism about the future of the forestry industry in South Australia and in the South-East in particular. There was a time when the Liberal Party in South Australia actually thought that private investment was a good thing, but that has now apparently ended.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!