Ministerial Staff

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:07): A supplementary question either to the Premier or the Attorney-General: could they explain to the parliament what action is being taken to ensure that the emails apparently used by one or more of the ministerial staff are not destroyed or deleted pending the further guidelines and advice that the Attorney-General proposes to take and give respectively?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (15:08): All I can do is repeat the answer I have already given. The question of state records is quite a complex matter and you may recall that not that long ago, a few months ago—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley will retire from the chamber for half an hour.

The honourable member for Unley having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: We had an instance a while ago—I cannot remember if it was in this parliament or the last parliament—with the issue of state records and what did or did not constitute a state record, whether those records were of the type that needed to be retained at all or could be destroyed, and whether or not, if they needed to be retained, for how long they needed to be retained. We had that conversation at some length previously and I would have thought—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: That was an attempt that was made some time ago that didn't end very well because this was—

Mr Marshall: Because you lost state records.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader and the Premier are called to order and the deputy leader is warned a first time.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: As I said, the matter of state records is something we will consider and I will first of all find out what it is we are talking about. I will then seek advice from the Crown and I will then take whatever steps I consider appropriate.

Ms CHAPMAN: A further supplementary before time expires.

The SPEAKER: The time has expired.

Ms CHAPMAN: It hadn't when I asked.

The SPEAKER: The three minutes is the time on that last question.

Ms CHAPMAN: With respect, sir, the zero hadn't appeared.

The SPEAKER: It had; you are looking at the wrong monitor.