Liberal Party

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:20): In most recent times when I have been on my feet there have been people on the other side who ask, 'Oh, you are awake, are you?' I admit that it is hard to stay awake in this place when I have to listen to what I believe is the worst opposition in my 14 years here.

We know the opposition is filming question time. The freeing-up of the rules and photographing in this chamber is not something that I necessarily agree with but I accept it now that it is here, and that is the way it is. However, I know that the opposition's purpose is purely political and that material is to be used for political purposes during the next election campaign. To this end they must think that this is the mechanism that will help them get to this side of the house.

This leads me to the point or focus of this grieve. The opposition, beyond this strategy of let's photograph the government during question time, has nothing. It has no direction; it has no policies beyond winding back marine parks; it has no ideas; it has no substance; it has no leadership—and it has a great albatross hanging around its neck.

A few months ago, I made a contribution that focused on the new blood that the opposition brought into the parliament at the last election. I genuinely praised these newbies for bringing to the opposition a sense of hunger and a work ethic that has been missing from the opposition in the past. I inadvertently left the member for Davenport off the list but I add him to those I mentioned previously.

The member for Schubert recently commenced a contribution in his usual confident manner by informing the house that he is a modern 21^stcentury politician. We know of his skills on the computer and that has been widely acknowledged. However, the member for Schubert, the member for Bright, the member for Hartley, the member for Davenport and the member for Mount Gambier—all of them—could be regarded as modern 21^scentury parliamentarians.

It must be excruciatingly painful for all of them to witness, indeed, be tainted by a party brimming with deadwood, brimming with underwhelming performers who are stifling your individual and collective advancement. It is this albatross that is around their neck, that is halting their advance. It is time for you to claim your rightful spot. This can only be done by getting rid of those who will never be capable and, in fact, are incapable of delivering what you want to get to this side of the chamber.

There was an opportunity that was lost. In the lead-up to the Davenport by-election, I believe that the members for Morphett, Finniss, Kavel, MacKillop and Heysen (and I would include in that group the member for Bragg) should have been tapped on the shoulder by the leader—if he was truly a leader—to make way for a super Saturday of by-elections. You would not have lost any of these seats; you would have instead replaced this underwhelming group with those like the newbies: hungry and committed to doing all they can to win a general election.

I often look at the faces of the young group over there who I have mentioned. I see the pain and anguish in their faces; I see the embarrassment on their faces when they have endured another question time, endured a day in this place without laying a glove, without bothering the scorer, and bereft of any strategy. I also hear the rumblings. I understand that some of you are questioning the current leadership's abilities, questioning whether or not this leadership can deliver you government.

You are right to be asking these questions. It is now time for you to move. It is time for you to rid yourselves of the albatross hanging around your neck, otherwise you might find yourselves in the years to come in a situation like the member for Morphett and the member for Heysen, amongst others, resigned to life in opposition.

Whilst we are talking about getting rid of some of the deadwood, I would not just say it about this place either. We certainly have a couple of people over in what I refer to as the other place, the elephants' burial ground, who could well do with being got rid of as well. We know who they are, those who have been occupying seats for a long time without delivering on behalf of the opposition.

What I want, what this government wants, what the people of South Australia want is a successful opposition because that is the way a democracy operates and operates at its best like that. However, what we have is an opposition that is bereft of ideas and bereft of strategies, and it is time now for the young people brought in at the last election to make the move and start doing what they need to do, and that is to get rid of that deadwood, that weight that is weighing you down and not allowing you to be a good opposition.