HOLDEN COINVESTMENT

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:17): Therefore, will—

The SPEAKER: Is this a supplementary?

Mr MARSHALL: Yes, it certainly is, sir. Will the Premier table his correspondence with the federal government to demonstrate that he has complained to federal minister Macfarlane about the time frames around Holden's funding negotiations?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:18): I did not want to advance this, because I wanted as far as possible to maintain my relationship with the federal minister, but if the Leader of the Opposition wants me to give chapter and verse about the fact that the federal minister in fact did say something on radio today which was not quite accurate, I am prepared to say it.

I do not want to have to do this, because I want as far as possible to preserve my relationship with him. I do not think this is a particularly profitable line of inquiry. But we did in fact have a very explicit conversation about exactly what I was going to say to the media about the question of delay; in fact, I offered this to Mr Macfarlane. It was in fact in the context of the remarks that were being made by Mr Devereux concerning his departure.

Mr Devereux contacted me and gave me some advance notice of his departure. I then, on the basis of that, decided to make some public remarks, but before I made them I ran them by Mr Macfarlane. It is very clear from the nature of the public remarks that I have made that I was going to very heavily criticise the federal government for their delay in responding to the proposition that Holden's had in fact put to them.

So I have made that very clear to him. I think it is also very clear, from the nature of the negotiations that we have had—and, indeed, Mr Macfarlane today on radio says that Holden's preferred time line is December to have a response to their proposition because they have imperatives around investment in their new model. I think it is regrettable that I have had to lay this out, because I want as far as possible to preserve my relationship with Mr Macfarlane. I have at all times conducted myself, I think, with some degree of restraint about that.

In the period after the federal election we gave the newly-elected government a considerable period of leeway. I did not believe the propositions that the federal Coalition were going to advance to Holden's would be acceptable to Holden's but, nevertheless, I decided to allow those to be advanced. It is clear they are not acceptable and I am duty bound to tell the community of the risks associated with the federal government's delay in responding to Holden's offer and, if the Leader of the Opposition understood his responsibilities, he would join me in that.

Members interjecting:

Mr MARSHALL: Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Before you do, I call the deputy leader to order, also the members for Colton, Elder and Hammond, and I warn the member for Morialta for the first time. A supplementary.