House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Question Time Ministerial Code of Conduct MINISTERIAL CODE OF CONDUCT Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Heysen Leader of the Opposition MINISTERIAL CODE OF CONDUCT Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:11): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. As the minister has now admitted asking the health department specifically to prepare material for the minister's use in the election during the caretaker period of the last state election campaign, which is a breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, will he now resign? The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order, Madam Speaker. The question again contains argument to posture— Members interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Unfortunately for you, I am not appealing to you; I am appealing to the Speaker, who is wiser than you. The— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: To posit that it is a breach of the code of conduct is to draw a conclusion; it's an argument. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Yes, I will uphold that; I would ask the leader to please be careful of the wording of her question. She knows that we are not to have any argument. Do you wish to reword your question? Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Mrs REDMOND: Madam Speaker, I suggest that it is not an argument at all to say, when the code of conduct states—Madam Speaker, the code of— Members interjecting: Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Mrs REDMOND: I am responding to the point of order and the matter that has been raised by the Speaker. The code of conduct states: Public servants should not be asked to work on party political matters. They should not be asked to specifically prepare material for Ministers to use in the election when the government is in caretaker mode... Now, the minister has admitted that he asked them, that it was for use in the election campaign, and that it was in the caretaker mode; therefore, it is a breach of the code of conduct— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Mrs REDMOND: —and it is not improper, therefore, for the question to— The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order— Mrs Redmond interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: And I've got the call. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Minister. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Madam Speaker, the standing orders deal with a member who wishes to contest your ruling, and it must be done according to the standing orders. If— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Thank you— Members interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Sorry, who are you? The— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: If the Leader of the Opposition wishes to contest— Mr Pisoni interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, member for Unley! Mrs REDMOND House of Assembly Mrs REDMOND: Point of order. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! We will deal with this one first. The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Can I finish mine? Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: No, I have the call. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The leader will sit down. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Madam Speaker, I merely point out that standing orders deal with how you dissent to the Chair's ruling. If you— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: There is no other process, Madam Speaker, for arguing with your ruling but to dissent with it, and there are standing orders to do that. I ask that— Members interjecting: The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —the Leader of the Opposition— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. P.F. CONLON House of Assembly The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I ask that she be called to order, along with her other rowdy mob, including our representative from the Scientologists. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to move on to the next question and bring me a copy of that question so I can have a look at it. You may be able to ask it again afterwards.