Emergency Services Levy

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:14): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister detail any discussions she has had with the Treasurer about providing emergency services levy exemptions for childcare centres to stop this extra cost burden being passed on to parents?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (15:14): I have to say that, after the savage commonwealth budget, for us to be lectured about the impact on families by the emergency services remissions being removed—we have said, sir, all along that we would return these remissions immediately.

Mr PISONI: Point of order: I believe that the minister is not answering the substance of the question. The question was specifically about discussions in removing the emergency services levy for childcare centres.

The SPEAKER: Yes; I'll listen carefully.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I want to return the remissions to everyone. I don't want anyone paying any more than they need to, but I point out to the opposition that our pensioners have had $30 million a year cut from their concessions by the commonwealth. Members opposite said they were with us on this.

Mr PISONI: Point of order: again, the minister has entered debate. The question—

The SPEAKER: No, I don't believe he is.

Mr PISONI: —is clearly about childcare centres.

The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order, and I have my reasons, if you want, but we will go to the Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I'm happy to return remissions to childcare centres, to schools, to anyone who has been adversely impacted by this, because the cuts that the commonwealth have imposed on the state are far too large for us to bear; they cannot be absorbed. You cannot give a state government five weeks' notice and cut nearly $1 billion—$1billion.

We had a funding partner. We had deal to change the way health care was delivered in this country, and the commonwealth have walked away from it leaving pensioners, people who go to hospitals, our children in our schools at the mercy of the very ravages that the opposition said before the September at election that they would not introduce. We have seen it in the most recent cuts to the ABC and SBS. They promised no cuts—no cuts, Mr Speaker—and here they are, and yet they say 'How dare you—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley.

Mr PISONI: I definitely suggest that the ABC is not relevant, unless you're talking about childcare centres.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: In the context of why decisions are made to remove remissions from emergency services levy payers and those people who are about to bear the impacts of it, I say this to the opposition: join us, join our campaign, join South Australians, voice anger at the commonwealth—one voice in opposition would be nice.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley will leave us for the rest of question time.

The honourable member for Unley having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I would appreciate, at the very least, that of all the cuts the commonwealth has made you would have thought, Mr Speaker, that cuts to our pensioners are the most horrific and abhorrent. And you would think, Mr Speaker, that members opposite would stand with us on this. Instead, they attack us—

Ms Chapman: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Deputy leader.

Ms CHAPMAN: I don't think there could be anything further from pensioners and aged-care cuts than childcare centres. This is clearly straying from the question of whether there was a conversation between the two ministers—

The SPEAKER: Yes; I think the Treasurer has strayed. The member for Colton.