Member for Frome, Government Agreement

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (16:20): Further supplementary.

The SPEAKER: Further supplementary from the leader.

Mr MARSHALL: Was there any specific commitment made by the Premier to you regarding Nyrstar, over and above what has been contained in the document tabled today? If so, can you outline to the house what the nature of that commitment was?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (16:20): Yes, I can—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: In the context of the negotiations with the member for Frome, the question of the future of Nyrstar arose, and I made a communication with the member for Frome about the attitude of the state government in respect of those negotiations. That was information and material that the member for Frome requested of me to assist him in his deliberation. So, it does not represent part of the agreement that was struck and has been reduced to writing and has been put before the house, but it was relevant information that the member for Frome requested to assist him in his deliberations.

That is a confidential communication. It is confidential because it contains important commercial terms which are presently the subject of very detailed negotiations which are at a very advanced stage. We hope to conclude them very soon.

Of course, they are directed at securing a future for Nyrstar in Port Pirie, and a bright future for not only Port Pirie but the surrounding areas within the southern Flinders. This is a very important matter that the member for Frome, of course, wanted to be satisfied about as he was embarking upon deliberations about the future of Nyrstar. I must say questions were raised about the future of Nyrstar in the course of that period and it was natural that the member for Frome wanted to satisfy himself about what the state government's attitude to the future of Nyrstar was.

As it happens, one of the risks that the member for Frome was concerned about—that is, the attitude of the federal government—has sadly come to pass. Notwithstanding the federal government had given a commitment to Nyrstar and to, indeed, the South Australian government that they would be a financial backer of some of the risks of this project, they have since withdrawn—inexplicably—from their commitment. The South Australian government stands ready to conclude an agreement to secure the future of Nyrstar and Port Pirie.