SA LOTTERIES

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (16:01): Supplementary question: what consultation did the government undertake with the Newsagents Federation and the newsagency owners prior to announcing the sale of SA Lotteries?

The SPEAKER: That is a new question, member for Adelaide; it is not a supplementary.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Sector) (16:01): Within the contractual arrangement with their agents my recollection and the advice that I have been given is that there is a clause that necessitates a formal process of negotiation if a significant change is to occur. I have been advised by the CE that they followed their contractual obligation to newsagents through the Newsagents Association and that at least one meeting was held.

It is my understanding that individual newsagents were given the opportunity to quiz SA Lotteries, to quiz the CE and put forward their particular concerns; so there was a formal process of consultation. They were made aware before the decision was made that this was the thinking of the board, but the decision was made by the board (this is my understanding) after the process of consultation had occurred. I will come back to the member just to give certainty on that particular point.