STATE RECORDS

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:38): Yes, it's a supplementary, sir. As a supplementary, has the former education minister ever sought appropriate approval from the State Records office to destroy any records? I am not talking about specifically what was contained in the Debelle inquiry—'ever' is the question.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:39): This question proceeds from the fundamental misreading of the Debelle report. There was one computer in this whole equation that was never wiped, and it happened to be my computer. So, all this furphy that has been spread around about wiped computers and that somehow that was done for some nefarious purpose, the very computer that one might have thought might be at the centre of this thing—

Mr Gardner: This has nothing to do with the question.

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —is a computer that I had in my former role and carried with me through to the education department. So, despite the change of portfolios, it was the same computer and it never went through the process of the wiping of the computer.

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta is warned for the second and final time. I don't wish him to depart the house, but that is the final warning.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Those opposite can continue to traverse this issue. They can carry on with this every day of every week, from now until the election, but the simple fact is this: there has been a royal commission into this matter. I have given sworn evidence. My sworn evidence has been believed, despite those opposite seeking to cast doubt on my credibility—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, you said it across the chamber. You said it across this very chamber that you did not believe me. The royal commissioner did.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, I heard him—it was right here across the chamber. The royal commissioner believed what I said and believed me to be a witness of truth, and I won't have you or anybody else casting doubt on my integrity.