Primary Industries and Regions Department

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (15:13): My question is to the Minster for Primary Industries and Regional Development. Can the minister rule out any job losses in regional offices of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions from the functional review savings measure in the budget?

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE (Chaffey—Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development) (15:13): I thank the member for Giles for his question. What I can say is that we have had to inflict budget savings through the forward estimates of a previous government.

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Light is called to order. You are interjecting.

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is on two warnings. He keeps interjecting.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: The $38.6 million of forward estimates savings that were inflicted upon primary industries and regions—

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Light is warned.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: —in South Australia were an act that this government had to responsibly and diligently implement. It's all very well for the members for Light and Giles to squirm and point accusations at me as the minister. What did you do when you were in government?

The SPEAKER: What did the opposition do when they were in government.

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: What did you do to stick up for the regions of South Australia? What did you do?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: Yes, a big fat zero.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: What I would—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is very close to the edge today.

The Hon. A. Piccolo interjecting:

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

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: We are taking ownership of the regions. We are taking ownership of PIRSA, primary industries here in South Australia.

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. T.J. WHETSTONE: We have made budgets that will fit within PIRSA, that will fit within the department of regions. Any job losses primarily will go in the communications department. That's where it was the department of spin by a previous government. We are a government of substance. We will enact change within those departments so that we reduce any job losses, making sure that regional development and primary industries are the economic drivers here in South Australia.