Question Time

Car Parking Levy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is to the Premier. Given that the Premier has had since November last year to get an answer, can the Premier now advise if the proposed car park tax will be subject to GST, which will take the impost to $825 per car, per year?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:18): We have held extensive consultations on the transport development levy.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I've just started—or are you going to accuse someone else of corruption with no evidence again?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Oh sorry, too soon, is it? We have held extensive consultation and we have asked interested bodies, whether they be the Property Council, individual developers or other governments, to discuss with us what the impacts of the TDL will be. We have received, I think it is fair to say, many, many submissions from many interested parties and I think it is fair to say that it has caused a great deal of controversy. But there has been one group that has not made any submissions and that is Her Majesty's most loyal opposition. I find it interesting that, after we had points of order trying to claim media stunts, and that after we hold a long period of consultation, one body—

Ms REDMOND: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: The member for Heysen has a point of order.

Ms REDMOND: My point of order is about the relevance of the answer. The question was specifically about whether the GST would apply to the car park tax. The only relevant organisation to consult about that is the ATO, surely, or maybe the Treasury, for which the Treasurer is responsible.

The SPEAKER: I think I've got the point of order; I uphold the point of order. The Treasurer—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order and warned a first time—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I'm glad you're grateful—and the member for Chaffey. The Treasurer will answer with the appreciation that he is not responsible to the house for what the opposition does.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Someone needs to do, sir, because no-one is quite sure what they're doing. It's not my fault that they are having a bad week and I think that little hysterical outburst just then shows the amount of pressure the Leader of the Opposition is under.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will answer the question and not do a commentary on the opposition. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir. The government is not responsible for what the federal government imposes the GST upon. That is a responsibility of a commonwealth government and I know in what high regard their commonwealth colleagues hold this current opposition. I am sure that if they make a telephone call to their colleagues in Canberra, they will give them an opinion. I will make all this available on budget day, and then after the budget and through the estimates process the opposition can ask all the questions they like.