Gillman Land Sale

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:25): My question again is to the Treasurer or the Attorney-General.

The SPEAKER: Just before you start, I should call to order the member for Schubert, who won't comment on the Deputy Premier's apparel, and the members for Florey and Little Para, and I warn for the first time the member for Stuart.

Ms CHAPMAN: You didn't change your underpants—that's what he is complaining about. Sorry, my question is to the Treasurer or the Attorney-General. Why did the government wait six weeks from when the land subject of the Gillman land deal was rezoned to announce the rezoning?

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) (14:26): Can I say the deputy should be aware that I do change daily, and that was a very hurtful innuendo. As to the member for Schubert, what is wrong with the presentation? Anyway, I know I can't ask him that question. So—

The SPEAKER: Focus, focus.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am focusing. What happened was this. I don't think any of this will come as a surprise to anybody, but what happened was, given that, in this particular case, the roles I have in respect of Renewal SA and planning minister mean that I would be the same person on both ends of this particular transaction, it was judged that it was necessary from the point of view of things not only being done properly but appearing to have been done properly that another member of the cabinet was invited to deal with this matter and, indeed, that is what happened.

The Minister for Police and Emergency Services agreed to undertake this exercise. He did so according to what he saw as being the appropriate investigations and the appropriate degree of satisfaction from his point of view, as I do in my role as planning minister. I take as long as I think I need to take in order to be satisfied that a matter is appropriately dealt with.

So, it's not for me either to inquire of my ministerial colleague or to cast any aspersions about the method by which he went around that, because I know, having done it myself, there are times when you want more information and you want to be certain about what you are doing. In any event, he progressed with the matter. He ultimately made a decision. The decision required a gazettal, which occurred a week or 10 days or something of that nature ago—

The Hon. A. Piccolo: A couple of weeks.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: —a couple of weeks ago, and that's how the matter has proceeded. So, all of that, as far as I am concerned, is completely orthodox and entirely appropriate.