Shop Trading Hours

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:50): My question is to the Premier. Has the Premier met with the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Martin Haese (also a successful businessman), in relation to the deregulation of shop trading hours and its impact on CBD businesses. Mr Haese said:

Should shop trading hours be further liberalised, the very livelihood of these small businesses could be put at risk. That’s because the deregulation of shop trading hours will benefit larger shopping centres and take customers away from small traders on our city and suburban streets. History tells us that when you reduce the number of independent retailers, jobs are displaced, product choice evaporates, prices go up and profits are shifted interstate or offshore.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will be heard in silence. Several members are on two warnings. Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:51): Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In answer to the Leader of the Opposition's question, yes, I have met with the Rt Hon. the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Martin Haese. I meet with him on a very regular basis. In fact, we are looking to have a solid, grown-up, sensible relationship with the Adelaide city council. Yes, he has raised—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —not formally, but he has certainly raised the issue of shop trading hours in the media, and I believe he has probably raised them with me again but, as I have said in previous answers, we are making a decision on behalf of all South Australians. Now, can I just make the point that those opposite were the ones themselves who were violently opposed to further deregulation within the CBD. It was the—

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir: the Premier is debating the question and talking about opposition policy.

The SPEAKER: Debate?

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir.

The SPEAKER: The question was very specific. It was about Mr Haese in regard to a policy. I ask the Premier to return to the substance of the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: And if he is not heard in silence, members will be departing the chamber.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The reality is the benefit that is derived by those businesses in the CBD, which they wish to protect, is just the same benefit that we on this side of the house wish to extend to all South Australians. At the moment, the Lord Mayor is making it very clear that there is a massive benefit to businesses when they open when customers want to buy goods and services.

We want to provide exactly and precisely that same opportunity to every business. We don't think that just businesses within these areas defined by those opposite, defined by the SDA, defined by government of any persuasion, should be those who are advantaged. We want to see all businesses in this state benefit from deregulation, and that is exactly what we will do.

We have backed the Lord Mayor on plenty of other issues—for example, the car park tax. Those opposite sought to introduce a very punishing car park tax which certainly would have disadvantaged trade—

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order. What is the point of order?

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: The Premier is not responsible for opposition policy, sir; bring him back to the substance of the question.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: One moment. The point of order is that the answer is not directly relevant to the question. When the Premier talks about other matters such as the car park tax, strictly speaking he is not talking about this policy in question, so I ask the Premier to return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Well, sir, there was an explanation, but the question was: do I speak to the Lord Mayor of Adelaide? The answer to that is yes, and I am providing some detail—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to the house about the breadth of issues that I discuss with the Lord Mayor. He is a very important leader in our community, and there is a range of issues that we discuss. One of them might be shop trading hours; others would be punishing taxes that those opposite try to inflict upon businesses in the CBD. I have made it very clear that, despite hearing the issues and arguments offered by the Lord Mayor, we have formed an opinion, and that is that the benefit derived by businesses within the CBD because of the deregulated shop trading hours there should be extended to all businesses in South Australia.

We have been elected not just to look after one or two areas in South Australia but to look after the overall economy of the state. Again, I direct those opposite, if they need any evidence of the benefits to growing our economy from the deregulation of shop trading hours, they need look no further than the Australian Productivity Commission's report into this matter, which makes it very clear that there are massive benefits to be derived. That is what we are seeking. We are seeking a growing economy in South Australia. We are seeking to grow jobs. We are seeking to keep our young people in South Australia, and we will advance that case every day we are in office.