Kerin, Dr Paul

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): Given that the Treasurer has admitted on radio this morning that he has been in possession of this letter of resignation for almost six months, can he outline to the house today exactly what steps he has taken to investigate the allegations made in the resignation letter?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:43): First and foremost, Mr Speaker—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Are you finished?

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is warned a first time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Kerin is not an employee of the state government: he is an employee of ESCOSA. His selection process was carried out independently of government by ESCOSA. That letter was to Pat Walsh, the chairman of ESCOSA. It was not to me as the Treasurer, it was not to me as the energy minister, it was not to the Premier as the Premier; it was—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Just calm down. Calm down.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Like I said, Mr Kerin was making a political statement, devastated, it seems to me, at the outcome of the election. There is an interesting article today in InDaily which talks about some of the published views of Mr Kerin about his political preferences, which, I have to say, are in marked contradiction to the letter that was published in The Advertiser today.

I have complete confidence in the South Australian Public Service. I have complete confidence in the bureaucrats who answer to me. I have complete confidence in the board of ESCOSA. I think the government has an excellent working relationship with ESCOSA. We do good things for the people of South Australia. We have seen water prices drop by over 6 per cent in the last 12 months.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We have seen water prices cut to below CPI over the next two years.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We are seeing electricity prices drop on the back of deregulation.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is not my fault that the opposition don't know how to campaign under the current Leader of the Opposition and that some bureaucrats were upset he couldn't pull off a victory.

Members interjecting:

Mr MARSHALL: Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Before a supplementary is asked, I warn the Treasurer for wilfully engaging in debate, and I will not pull up opposition members who are breaching the standing orders while they are being hectored by a minister himself out of order. I will just let the melee go. Leader.