Ministerial Statement

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS (LIFETIME SUPPORT SCHEME) BILL

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:05): Now we've got that sorted, sir; the opposition is worried about the big issues.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Manufacturing.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Whilst not uttering the word 'shame' just recently, sir, the member for Unley did in fact call the minister a liar.

The SPEAKER: Then I call upon—

Mr PISONI: I apologise and withdraw, sir, for calling the Minister for Health a liar.

The SPEAKER: The minister.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I know the opposition is very sensitive about this matter. People driving other classes of vehicles will also save, with most others having a reduction of around 20 percent on their motor insurance premiums. Truck drivers, couriers, taxi drivers and motorcyclists will save under these reforms. For example, taxi owners will pay $1,200 less next financial year. I know how much that will be welcome by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Because of these reforms South Australian motorist's will pay over $100 million less in premiums in 2013-14.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: We have made these changes because the government is serious about easing cost of living pressures for South Australian families. I wish I could inform the house that these important reforms were moved smoothly, but the opposition tried to amend it to prevent hardworking South Australians from receiving a saving from July at all. Fortunately for South Australian motorists, the bill passed the other place without these amendments. I thank members of the Legislative Council, in particular the Hon. Ms Franks, leading these reforms with her colleague the Hon. Mr Parnell, on behalf of the Greens, and the Hon. Mr Brokenshire—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: While the deputy leader is on her feet taking a point of order, I call her to order, and the member for Heysen, for earlier repeated interjections. The member for Bragg.

Ms CHAPMAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I ask that you determine—

The SPEAKER: What is the point of order? It is a ministerial statement, not an answer to a question.

Ms CHAPMAN: No; but this is a clear reflection on the debate in the other place and the Legislative Council. The minister has not only reflected as a group on the Legislative Council's debate but he is now embarking on criticism of the contributions made by individual members, starting, I think, with the members of the Greens Party.

The SPEAKER: No, no; I think he is actually praising them, but that is still a reflection.

The Hon. J.J. Snelling: It's positive.

Ms CHAPMAN: It's still a reflection. It doesn't matter whether it's positive.

The SPEAKER: Indeed; I'll take advice on that. Minister, I'll take advice on the point of order. The member for Bragg would be correct if the other place were still deliberating. It has now ceased to deliberate. I think the term is 'functus officio'. The health minister.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have come to praise the Legislative Council, sir, not to bury it. The Greens and the Hon. Mr Brokenshire—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: They are so upset about this, I can't understand it. You would think that they would be happy about delivering South Australian motorists a $100 saving on their car rego, but obviously they are not. I thank the Greens and the Hon. Mr Brokenshire and the Hon. Mr Hood from Family First for being on the side of South Australian motorists and recognising the importance of these reforms. Best of all, from 1 July next year, South Australian motorists who are catastrophically injured, where no-one is at fault, such as swerving to miss a kangaroo on a country road and rolling their car, will receive the care and coverage that they deserve.