House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time GM Holden GM HOLDEN Mr WILLIAMS House of Assembly MacKillop Deputy Leader of the Opposition GM HOLDEN Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade. Why did the minister intimate to the house that the Holden support payments would not go before the Industries Development Committee, when he told the media on 18 January that these payments would go before the IDC? In parliament last week, whilst debating the support package to Holden's, I claimed that I believed that the support payments would go before the Industries Development Committee. The minister interjected saying that I, and I quote, 'made it up'. However, on 18 January, the minister said on radio, and I again quote: I announced today in my press conference...that I thought it was a very good idea to send this proposal through the IDC after it was announced and have a consultative approach with the Liberal Party. Which one is it, minister? The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Manufacturing Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Minister for Small Business GM HOLDEN The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (15:04): The government went one step further: we brought it before the entire parliament. We gave every member of the parliament the opportunity to have their say— Members interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If I float, I am a witch; if I drown, I am innocent. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If I went to the IDC, it would have been that we somehow did not let every MP have a say on the Holden deal, but because we brought it to the parliament I have not gone far enough by taking it to the IDC. What I said to— Mr Williams interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Deputy leader, you have asked your question. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What I intimated to the media was that there would be scrutiny over the Holden assistance package. Mr Marshall House of Assembly Mr Marshall: You said IDC. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you will leave the chamber for 10 minutes. The honourable member for Norwood having withdrawn from the chamber: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It's just not the same anymore with him gone. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, I am not sure what you said then, but I would ask you to get back to the substance of the question. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, ma'am. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The point is that the government wanted scrutiny of this package. The government, rather than taking it to the IDC, brought it to the Parliament of South Australia, where all 47 members could have a say. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: That is much more scrutiny than the IDC. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Supplementary, member for Davenport.