Federal Minister for Defence

Mr BELL (Mount Gambier) (14:40): A supplementary: how many times has the minister personally met with the federal Minister for Defence, Marise Payne?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:40): I am very glad that the minister has asked this Dorothy Dixer—

An honourable member: He is not a minister.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: The member, I am sorry; one day—because I am very pleased to answer it. First of all, it would have been helpful if the current Minister for Defence had come to South Australia more often since her appointment. I don't particularly want to make this an issue, but it would have been helpful if there had been better consultation. But I will tell you that, during one of those two visits, the minister met with the Premier and the CEO of Defence SA I was overseas on a trade mission. I would say this: the state opposition have been involved in a deliberate campaign—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: I am explaining why.

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta has a point of order.

Mr GARDNER: Yes, it is presumptive, but the minister is imputing improper motive by suggesting the state opposition has been engaged in a deliberate campaign to do anything—

The SPEAKER: Has been engaged in what?

Mr GARDNER: —in relation to this matter, as to why he hasn't met with the defence minister.

The SPEAKER: I am not sure there is any merit in that. The minister.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: The state opposition, in concert with the member for Sturt, ran a deliberate campaign to encourage Senator Johnston, when he was the minister, not to meet with me. It didn't work; I had lots of meetings with Senator Johnston. They then ran a deliberate campaign with the member for Sturt to have minister Andrews not meet with me; that didn't work either.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr GARDNER: Debate, imputing improper motive—take your pick.

The SPEAKER: Neither. The minister.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: That didn't work either; I had quite a number of meetings with minister Andrews. They are now running, I understand, a deliberate campaign to try to get minister Payne not to meet with me.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Mount Gambier.

Mr BELL: It's on relevance, sir. I asked a very specific question: how many times has the minister met with the federal minister?

The SPEAKER: And the minister is answering that question. He may not be answering it the way the member likes, but he is answering it.

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: The answer is: she has only been here twice and I haven't met with her on either visit, and you know that well, because you are—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH: I make this point to you: minister Payne will be meeting with me and us very soon. Do you know why? Because there are lots of ways to get your message across to the federal government—lots of ways. Just look at the campaign that has been run over the last 18 months to have that demonstrated for you. So there are two ways for the federal government and the state government to communicate between now and the date of the federal election: one is collegiately, responsibly, through sensible, measured discussions and meetings in the best interest of South Australians; the other way is through megaphone diplomacy in the media, and I would suggest that the first course is by far the best.

Can I also, in answering the question, remind members of the excellent communication that has been in place through the advisory board's Sir Angus Houston and the CEO of Defence SA, Andy Keough, who has commanded two submarines and been in senior management at the ASC.

We could not have better communication at the board and the departmental level, and that we've had. The Premier and I have been in regular contact with the commonwealth on this; but I would suggest to the Liberal Party, because they love this, that you start thinking about South Australia first. For as long as you go round asking federal ministers not to meet with me because I used to be the leader of the Liberal Party, the more pain you will put South Australian workers and industry through—

Members interjecting:

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The minister's time has expired. Is that the point of order?

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Yes, sir. I take offence to the minister alleging that we don't think of South Australians first.

The SPEAKER: I think that is common or garden political argy-bargy, not material to be grieved about by standing orders. Member for Unley.