GROWTH INVESTIGATION AREAS REPORT

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:49): My question is to the Premier. As the government has brought forward building projects because it will be 'good for our economy', why won't the government now bring forward the establishment of the ICAC to investigate the alleged misconduct in the Mount Barker planning and development process—because it will be good for government accountability?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:49): I think it is probably appropriate that I deal with this question. The honourable member asks the question about whether we can bring forward the ICAC as if it was simply a matter of snapping one's fingers and the starting date could be summoned from here or there.

Mr Pisoni: It is about 11 years.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Did I hear the member for Unley correctly? No, I didn't. The situation is this: we have been moving very quickly, with every expedition, to get the establishment of the ICAC underway as quickly as possible. Might I add that, had we not been frustrated in another place by the opposition for months and months and months last year, when they deliberately attempted to sabotage the legislation by placing within it provisions which were obscure—

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order. The minister is entering debate and also referring to debate in another place and reflecting on a vote.

The SPEAKER: I think you got it the third time—reflecting on a vote. Perhaps the Deputy Premier would care to adjust his answer not to reflect on a vote.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I was only going to reflect, Mr Speaker, on their amendment, not on what happened to it; but it is a fact that they put up the most absurd amendment that I have seen. The member for Bragg, the deputy leader, is complaining about time lines. I point out we are moving as quickly as we possibly can and, if the member for Bragg and her colleagues were so concerned about these time lines, there was a very easy way to truncate the process by, I would reckon, approximately six months.

That opportunity occurred last year; that opportunity was abandoned because it was deemed to be imprudent for whatever reason inside their show to actually speed things up, because it gave them more time to complain that nothing was happening—which is exactly what is occurring now.