STATE ECONOMY

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question is again to the Treasurer. How can South Australian families trust this government to deliver a lower cost of living, given that a year after the Treasurer framed last year's budget for families, state taxes have risen by twice the rate of inflation, property charges have risen by three times inflation—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs REDMOND: —gas bills have risen by five times inflation—

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will sit down. You have asked your question; you do not need to go into an explanation like that. You are debating the question.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: You've asked the question. Thank you.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition should know by now that if you do seek to explain a question you need to seek leave and—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: You can make up your own rules, but they do not work. All I can say is, you must have used up all your intelligent questions fighting discrimination.

The SPEAKER: Order! Treasurer, do you wish to respond to the first part of the question?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:26): Madam Speaker, I am more than happy to answer this. The simple fact is that what the Leader of the Opposition claims is wrong. South Australia remains one of the most affordable places to live in Australia. Indeed, the recent research by the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling has shown that Adelaide is the most affordable city in Australia in which to live. This is something of which this government is very proud.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The naysayers of the opposition can whinge and whine and try to talk down our great state, but the simple fact is that Adelaide is the most affordable city in which to live.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: One of the things which of course the government has recently announced is the one-off water security rebate to help alleviate the effect of increased water prices.

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Davenport, order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Why are they so angry today, Madam Speaker, I wonder? What is going on in the opposition that would make them all so rattled today, I wonder?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Is there some sort of speculation going on? I do not know, Madam Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —but I notice a change in the tone of the opposition since we last sat, considerably. I think some things have been going on.

The SPEAKER: Treasurer, I would ask you to get back to the substance of your answer.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I apologise, Madam Speaker. The rebate will go to more than 600,000 residential customers. It means that the increase—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: —in the average water and sewerage bill for this year will be about 9 per cent. Households using up to 120 kilolitres will receive a rebate of $45 and households using over 120 kilolitres will receive a $75 rebate. This government is very proud of the measures that we are taking. We are listening to what the people of South Australia are telling us. We are not like the opposition. We are not about to try to talk down this great state. We are not naysayers, because we think this is a great place to live.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You have had your fun; there will be no more of this. Member for Taylor.