GM HOLDEN

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (14:35): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing Innovation and Trade. Was the minister correct when he told the media on 22 March in relation to the Holden funding package, and I quote, 'The guarantee that we have is they won't be firing people and there'll be clawback provisions if they do for our money'?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I understand the opposition, but this is same question some three or four times. You can word it slightly differently, but—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Member for Norwood, what was that thing you said, 'Lipstick on a pig'? If you take a mug and move him one seat further forward, is he still a mug? The—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I would simply ask that the opposition think of a new question.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, minister. Precisely. That did appear to me to be exactly the same question but asked in a different way. However, I will leave it up to the minister. If the minister chooses to answer it—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Madam Speaker, do you want the opposition to read the two questions out again so that you can appreciate that they are different questions about different statements made by this minister?

The SPEAKER: Thank you; I will take you on your word. Minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:36): I think what the member for Norwood is saying is: is it appropriate to receive a government grant—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order: question time is where the opposition asks questions to get information from the minister; it is not for the minister to pose questions to himself. This is an important question about the minister making conflicting statements and completely confusing the public.

The SPEAKER: Thank you for your point of order; however, the minister can answer the question as he chooses. I do not think he said enough for us to say that at this stage. Minister, can you stick to the question?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, Madam Speaker. The member for Norwood is an expert on government grants. He is one of the few people in this parliament who is a recipient of a government grant.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is clearly flouting your directions. He is clearly flouting the standing orders of the parliament. The question asks the minister to explain his conflicting statements, statements which clearly conflict with fact. The opposition is asking the minister to explain that, not to go off on some other wild goose chase and debate.

The SPEAKER: I think I will have to analyse those questions very carefully. They still seem very similar to me; however, minister, you have chosen to answer the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. Given that the member for Norwood is an expert on receiving government grants—he received a government grant—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: If you are talking about standing order 98, I will refer the minister back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The member for Norwood received a $50,000 government grant—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The minister is clearly defying the standing orders of the house. I have a little understanding of the standing orders of the house, and the minister is clearly defying them. Standing order 98 says that the minister, in answering a question, should answer the subject of the question and not debate the matter.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for MacKillop.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: In the words of the member for MacKillop, it is the vibe; it is the gist.

The SPEAKER: Minister, could I refer you back to the substance of the question and ask you to now answer it.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Okay, Madam Speaker, I will not talk about the member for Norwood's $50,000 government grant, which he used to sell his—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PISONI: Point of order, Madam Speaker. We can talk about the $450,000 that the shoppies union got in 2006.

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley will sit down. Minister, I have no idea what you are talking about but I know that it has nothing to do with the question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I can explain, Madam Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You will answer the question or you will sit down.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, Madam Speaker. The member for Norwood is an expert on government grants. He is obviously an expert—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr WILLIAMS: Madam Speaker, standing order 98—

The SPEAKER: Thank you; I know standing order 98.

Mr WILLIAMS: —says that the minister must answer the subject of the question and he must not enter debate. The minister is clearly defying the standing orders and defying your ruling that he go back to the subject of the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, can you please go back to the substance of the question. I don't know what you're talking about.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I know the member for Norwood is a protected species. I won't go into it any more. I will talk about it in the debate.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. You will answer the question, minister.

Mrs REDMOND: At what point does a member who happens to be a minister on that side of the house have to face consequences for defying the chair?

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The SPEAKER: Thank you, Leader of the Opposition. I have directed the minister and I am quite sure that he will comply considering the nature of the debate that is following.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I said on radio this morning that I first of all wanted to apologise to anyone who may have felt that they were misled. I apologise, Madam Speaker. I feel that there is not much more that I can do than apologise. What I was talking about is that Holden has a policy of no forced redundancies at Elizabeth. They are investing a billion dollars at the Elizabeth plant. The only people who think this is a bad thing are the members opposite.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Light.