Gillman Land Sale

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Police. Prior to being delegated powers to rezone the land at Gillman and Dry Creek, did the minister participate in any discussions regarding the use of the land for industrial purposes?

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Stuart is warned, the member for Hammond is warned a second time and the member for Schubert is warned. Deputy Premier.

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, Minister for Child Protection Reform) (15:12): Mr Speaker, there has been, so far as I am aware, quite a separation between any conversation about the activities on that land (in other words, the business managed by Renewal) and the work being done by the planning department. They are separate entities. The only matter which has been referred to the minister for his consideration in due course is the matter in relation to planning.

Can I also make this point. Given that I am not exercising discretion in this particular case, I think it is important that I say this on my colleague's behalf.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: They titter so, Mr Speaker, but that's because they don't understand. I am trying to explain something which, if they just listen for a minute, might not be quite as humorous. When the planning minister is making one of these decisions, the planning minister must have regard to, obviously, the information provided to them by officers of the department and must come to an independent decision about how they wish to proceed with the matter.

That decision is not the sort of thing that is the subject of inquisition and, indeed, it would be inappropriate for the minister to engage in that sort of interaction on the matter. I know that the Minister for Police, having had a background in local government, is fully aware of these matters and understands these matters.

This is why, on occasions, the member for Bragg, occasionally the member for Unley and occasionally other people have invited me to various events, usually at town halls, where people who have been whipped into a state of high excitement by unaccurate or misleading statements about development—

Mr Pederick: Inaccurate.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Inaccurate, I beg your pardon: yes—invite me to attend to give an account of myself. I can't do that because if I were to attend and I were to say literally anything which in any way gave some indication as to what my thinking process was—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: I'm not asking the government what the Deputy Premier would be doing—relevance—

The SPEAKER: The point is that the Deputy Premier is not answering the substance of the question?

Ms CHAPMAN: Indeed.

The SPEAKER: Alright, I'll listen carefully. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I don't think I can add anything.

The SPEAKER: You don't think you can add anything. The member for Mitchell.