BULK COMMODITIES PORT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:10): Will the minister then confirm if there is any part of the proposal which includes any contribution from state revenue?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON (Elder—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:10): I have to say I am struggling to remember the details of it. It would depend on what the response was from the commonwealth. If the commonwealth said to us that there were a possibility of funding, if there was something from it ourselves, that does not mean that we would be getting into the port business. It does not mean, for example, that if we offer an assistance package to Mitsubishi or we offer an assistance package to the forestry industry that we are getting into the timber industry, although we are in the timber industry, I must say.

Mr Pederick: You're getting out of it.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Well, and there we go, we're 'getting out of it'. Again, the confusion on the other side. We are in the timber industry to sell timber. What we do is sell timber, and what we are proposing to do is sell timber from our timber industry. We believe that if you want us to be in the timber industry, that is the best thing we can do. As I understand the proposal with the Treasurer, instead of selling this rotation, we are selling a number of forward rotations because we get a good deal for it. So, what we are doing, in business—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —is selling timber—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —on the best possible terms and we think that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: —is pretty smart. I know you think we are not very good at business but we think selling on the best possible terms is a pretty smart deal.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Ms CHAPMAN: All very interesting with forestry but I have asked about the ports and whether there is any state money in the proposal to Infrastructure Australia for the ports proposal, from South Australia's revenue?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Sorry, I did respond to interjections and I should not have done that. Can I indicate to the member for Bragg that I am not sure that we are going to see any funds from the commonwealth on a port. If there were some, they may apply conditions and they may ask us. But I can guarantee this to the member for Bragg: I have no budget for a contribution to a bulk commodity port and I know of no minister that does.