Question Time

Council Rate Concessions

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Local Government. As the long-held position of the minister has been for an increase to pensioner concession payments on council rates (as evidenced by your private members' motion to the last parliament), what have you done over the last 12 months to progress this?

The SPEAKER: Actually, I haven't done anything. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:39): The Abbott Liberal government cut $30 million per year—

The Hon. J.J. Snelling: How much?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: $30 million—breaking a national partnership that had been in place from prime minister Howard, prime minister Keating, broken by this current Prime Minister, and we stepped in for a year—we stepped in for a year to protect the most vulnerable in our community. We are running a campaign against the Abbott government and their cuts and, Mr Speaker, it is working. You can tell it's working. I ask members opposite to join our campaign. Do not let the Abbott government off the hook. They have made a cut that they promised they would not—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Treasurer, would you be seated. I will take the member for Goyder's point of order in a minute. If the member for Hartley utters another word he will be able to leave the chamber and have a look at each of those 16,000 signatures—

An honourable member: 1,600.

The SPEAKER: —1,600—in the comfort of his own office.

Mr GRIFFITHS: Point of order, sir: My question was directly to the Minister for Local Government about a long-held policy that he has had and I'm asking what that minister has done over the last 12 months to progress his policy. It's nothing about the actions of the Treasurer—

The SPEAKER: We'll see how the Treasurer can answer that question, which one would have thought was a little difficult, but let's see how he goes.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Still in government, thanks to you. Thank you very much. Great job. We have done our very best to maintain our concessions, indeed increasing concessions to pensioners. The member for Frome was pivotal in making sure that that increase to pensioner concessions was delivered at the last state election, because this government, this side, made a commitment to our older Australians about increasing concessions for heating and cooling. We have also stood up to the cuts made by Canberra. What are we doing to fight those cuts? We have stepped in for a year. What the opposition and their friends in Canberra want us to do is they want us—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, I know—

The SPEAKER: Treasurer, you're not answering the question. The member for Hartley continues to interject, in defiance of my order. I suggest you both desist and we move on to something else.

Mr GRIFFITHS: Supplementary, sir.

The SPEAKER: Supplementary, member for Goyder.