Public Sector Employment

Mr SPEIRS (Bright) (14:23): A supplementary, sir: does the minister believe that such dismissals are damaging morale within the public sector and preventing good people from applying for vacancies?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for the Public Sector) (14:23): Again, I am struggling because I recall a very early speech given by the honourable member, it might even have been his first speech, in which he was really quite dismissive and rude about the people in the senior ranks of the Public Service and now he seems to have taken up their cause in an interesting way. I have no evidence—

Mr TARZIA: Point of order, Mr Speaker: surely, the honourable member is debating the topic.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold the point of order.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned.

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: In any case, to return to the topic of the question, I have no evidence that there has been any such harm or damage. No-one has raised that with me.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned.