Public Trustee

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:27): A further question, this time to the Deputy Premier as Attorney-General: following the revelation in the ICAC report tabled yesterday that the Public Trustee has twice, in the last three years, unsuccessfully sought funding to remedy deficiencies in electronic systems, why has the government refused to provide the funding that the commissioner says is necessary to 'improve the efficiency of the business and to reduce the risk of corruption and maladministration'?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:27): I thank the deputy leader for that question. Like the deputy leader, I was yesterday, for the first time, able to look, albeit briefly, at the report from the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption in respect of the Public Trustee. I have to say that I have not as yet had an opportunity to thoroughly consider the report, but I am intending to do so.

Inasmuch as the report contains references to the resources available to the Public Trustee, I obviously will consider those matters and take them on board. If there are matters which go to resourcing and which appear to be important, I of course will be taking those up with my cabinet colleagues, and in particular with this splendid gentleman here, the Treasurer, who ultimately—

Mr Whetstone: Can't count.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: —is the fellow who has the very difficult job of deciding how the government's scarce resources are allocated to the many important functions the government has. That would be my view. I will read it—I will read it with interest. Can I say that I think the Public Trustee is a very important state institution. It is an institution that has existed for a very long time. It has an important public function to serve. It is important that the community has confidence in the Public Trustee. Many people of limited circumstances rely upon the Public Trustee to deal with their testamentary affairs. Indeed, there are many people who suffer from disabilities who have their lives administered, managed and assisted through the services of the Public Trustee, and all of those things are very important.

So I regard the Public Trustee as being an important part of the state's service to its citizens; I know other members of the cabinet have the same view. But we will have to consider any application or suggestion about increasing funds in the context of the budget process and whatever is available in that environment.

The SPEAKER: I call to order the member for Chaffey for interjecting during that answer. The member for Elder.