Shop Trading Hours

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (15:01): Thank you, Mr Speaker, My question is—

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order! The member for Hammond is warned.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: —a question to the Premier. Will the Premier deliver on his promise to introduce legislation into the parliament to deregulate shop trading hours within his first 100 days?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will be heard in silence.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:02): We are doing everything we can to advance it, but there is some complexity in the drafting of that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order! Members on my left, the Premier will be heard in silence. It is a clear question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I know that those opposite are really interested in this and I note that there's a variety of positions that those opposite have held. Most recently, the Leader of the Opposition, sir, as you would be very aware, has said that he wants deregulation of shop trading hours. He has indicated his—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Oh, no, he has changed his mind. I remember very clearly a couple of weeks ago—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —he wanted deregulation on Sunday morning. Now he has changed his position again. He might have got a call from the SDA—

The SPEAKER: The Premier will be seated.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —because that's who tells the opposition what their policies are.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is warned for a second and final time.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: the Premier is not responsible for opposition policies.

The SPEAKER: He certainly is not.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hammond is warned for a second and final time. Premier, please return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Sir, the substance of the question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —is all about the introduction of legislation regarding deregulation. I was noting those opposite were interested in it because previously the Leader of the Opposition, as you would know sir, had indicated that he was interested in deregulating shop trading hours. Then he has just informed the parliament he is not, which is very disappointing because—

The SPEAKER: Please don't respond to interjections, Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am just letting the house know that this change in position is very difficult. We are working hard to draft that legislation. Our position is very clear and we are seeking the support of those opposite. I am not sure whether it's going to be introduced within the first 92 days or the first 102 days or the first 97 days.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: But what I know, sir, is that we on this side of the house—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —are completely as one: we want deregulation of shop trading hours.

The SPEAKER: The leader is on two warnings.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We want deregulation of shop trading hours, and we want it as soon as possible.

The Hon. C.L. Wingard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Police is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We want deregulation of shop trading hours and we want it as soon as possible. The very clear reason why we want it is because we know that it is going to be of benefit to the South Australian economy. As you would know, sir, because I know that you are a learned person—dux of your school, I believe, sir—

The SPEAKER: It was a bad year level, but, yes.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I note that you were also the head boy in your final year at school.

The SPEAKER: I was. As I said, it was a bad year.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That's why I know that you, as a diligent, intelligent leader in your schooling years would have carried over into your work career and would have read the Productivity Commission report into the deregulation of shop trading hours. They said, when they referenced the Queensland economy, that there would be a $200 million benefit. That's why we are drafting that legislation—a $200 million benefit to the Queensland economy. They also went on in that report to say that there would be a similar benefit to the South Australian economy. That's why we are drafting the legislation, that's why we are working hard on it—because we want to get it into this parliament as quickly as possible.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: As I said, sir, I don't know whether it's going to be on the 87^th day or the 92^nd day—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —or the 103^rd day. Who knows exactly what day it's going to come in?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: But the reality is that those opposite are sweating the small stuff. We are working on the big stuff, the stuff that is going to create jobs—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —for generations to come, and we are very proud—very, very proud—to be doing exactly and precisely that.