House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Emergency Services Levy Emergency Services Levy Mr TARZIA House of Assembly Hartley Emergency Services Levy Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (14:45): Supplementary to the Treasurer: the Altavilla club has brought me their ESL bills which demonstrate that their liability has increased from $178.70 last year to $640.50 this year. My question is: does the Treasurer believe that this 258 per cent bill rise, and similar rises for other sports and community clubs, will reduce the viability of community associations across the state? Mr Marshall House of Assembly Mr Marshall: Yes, it will, it absolutely will. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The leader is warned. Treasurer. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Minister for Finance Minister for State Development Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy Minister for Small Business The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:45): It is interesting that the member for Hartley has not raised once the $4.1 million worth of cuts by the commonwealth to his schools in his electorate. It seems to me that he is very interested— Mr Marshall interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I know. I would be interested to know what the member for Hartley's— Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Point of order sir. This is about the emergency services levy, not the federal budget. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold the point of order. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I would be interested to know what the member for Hartley's emergency services levy bill is. Members interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, perhaps he should ask his mum for it. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: If the member for Hartley's lips move out of order, he will be joining the member for MacKillop, who is welcome to rejoin us. Come back: all is forgiven. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, it seems to me that the increases to the emergency services levy through the removal of remissions can be reversed at a moment's notice. Mr Whetstone interjecting: The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: All it takes is for the commonwealth government to maintain its commitment to our hospitals, our schools and our pensioners. Mr PENGILLY House of Assembly Mr PENGILLY: Point of order, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I have a point of order before the member for Finniss has his. I heard the member for Chaffey's interjection, and he will rise and apologise for it. Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: I'm not sure you heard it correctly, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: No, I did hear it correctly. It was reference to a member's mother. Mr WHETSTONE House of Assembly Mr WHETSTONE: Mr Speaker, he made a reference to the member for Hartley's mother. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: You will apologise now or you will be leaving the chamber. Mr WHETSTONE House of Assembly Mr WHETSTONE: Sir, I would like some clarification around the Treasurer's reference to the member for Hartley's mother. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I didn't hear that and, if someone wants to take that point of order, they may. Meanwhile, the member for Chaffey will leave the chamber for an hour. The honourable member for Chaffey having withdrawn from the chamber: Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir. The Treasurer has made a reference to the member for Hartley's mother that the member for Chaffey has unfortunately responded to against your ruling. Earlier today, he made a reference to members being schizophrenic, yesterday he made a reference to someone having Tourette's. These offensive answers are provocative— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I will deal with them seriatim, but does someone wish to take the point that the Treasurer is out of order about something that occurred in the last two minutes? Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: Yes, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: And what is that? Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: My point of order is that it is unparliamentary language and offensive language. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: And what was that? Mr GARDNER House of Assembly Mr GARDNER: It was the comment that was made in the reference to the member for Hartley's mother. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: But what was that? The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I said the member for Hartley could provide his emergency services bill and, if he doesn't have it, to ask his parents for it. I didn't mean any offence by it at all, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I'm sorry, what did the Treasurer say? The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: To provide his emergency services levy bill. I didn't mean to cause any offence; if I did, I apologise. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Good, thank you. Mr TARZIA House of Assembly Mr TARZIA: I think we can operate in a much more professional manner moving forward, but I take no offence at that, thank you. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you. The member for Reynell.