Question Time

South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier advise why he sacked 11 out of 12 members of the previous South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:31): We formed a view that it was time to refresh the SAMEAC board. Some of the members who had been on the board had served for an extraordinary length of time and they had served very well. In fact, some of them had served for more than a decade. I thank each and every one of the members who had served on the SAMEAC board, but it was time for a refresh.

We have appointed a new board. We have made it clear to that board that we won't be having long-term appointments. In fact, they are all new members save the chairperson, Norman Schueler, who came over from the previous board. He was the acting chair. He was the deputy chair and then, when the previous chair resigned, became the acting chair of SAMEAC. He has come over as the new chair of SAMEAC and we have appointed the new people.

I would just like to say, and place on the record, my grateful thanks to those people who had served previously. In fact, we held a small function in the Speaker's dining room to acknowledge the service that they had given. I fully expect that they will all continue to play an active role in multicultural affairs here in South Australia.

I was a little bit disappointed at the time that some of those opposite tried to turn this into a political issue, and I will tell you the reason why. I was a little bit concerned about this because historically we have had a very bipartisan approach to multicultural affairs here in South Australia. In fact, I think that one of the great aspects of our society here in South Australia is that we have harmonious multicultural relations in this state. That is why I was very perturbed by the way that the opposition portrayed our changes to that board—as the Leader of the Opposition again, only a few moments ago, in the house referred to it—as a sacking. Of course, it wasn't a sacking.

None of the people who had served saw it as a sacking. They saw it as a logical opportunity for the new government to refresh those people who served on that important board and, as I said, I was very grateful. At short notice, over half the people who weren't continuing turned up when we had our function here in the Speaker's dining room and I was very pleased to personally thank them for their service. Of course, I have also gone on to thank the other people who weren't able to be present at the function that was held here at Parliament House. I hope that the opposition will maintain I think a longstanding convention of this parliament to treat some of these portfolios, like multicultural affairs, as bipartisan portfolios, because I think we do much to enhance our state if we can maintain civility in these important areas.