Noarlunga Centre Incident

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (14:36): My question is to the Minister for Police. Did the Minister for Police seek or receive any submission or briefing from SAPOL before the release of the 20-year-old man who went on to be charged with the murder of a mother of two at Noarlunga Centre on 25 October?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members of the opposition! The member for Badcoe, please, will cease interjecting. Could you please repeat the question.

Mr ODENWALDER: Why?

The SPEAKER: Because I didn't hear it, because there were a lot of interjections, member for Elizabeth, by you amongst others. Member for Elizabeth, please.

Mr ODENWALDER: My question is to the Minister for Police.

Honourable members: Welcome!

Mr ODENWALDER: Welcome. Did the Minister for Police seek or receive any submission or briefing from SAPOL before the release of the 20-year-old man who went on to be charged with the murder of a mother of two at Noarlunga Centre on 25 October?

The SPEAKER: Deputy Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! The member for Cheltenham is called to order, the member for Giles is called to order, the Leader of the Opposition is warned, the member for Lee is warned for a second time, the member for Kaurna is warned and the member for Playford is warned. Deputy Premier.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:37): Thank you, Mr Speaker. As the member has—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: Muzzled!

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —I think been listening to carefully, and as a former member of the police force, I think he would be well aware of the importance of ensuring—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: 'Of parliamentary, yes she's—' what?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that conduct—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members will be departing shortly if this continues; I put you on notice.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —either in this house or publicly anywhere doesn't act to prejudice the proper administration of the prosecution of a case before the courts. The comment has been made, 'Well, what about other cases like the case of Hillier?' That's a concluded matter, so let me just—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: No, let me just raise the distinguishing—

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is on two warnings.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Let me just raise the distinguishing feature that seems to have either inconveniently escaped the memory or attention of members of the opposition. The case of Hillier, which as some would remember is a circumstance where a man was prosecuted and convicted, ultimately, on his own admission—

Dr Close: 'Ultimately.'

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that's what I said—of the murder of Mrs Rigney and two of her children, is a gruesome reminder of circumstances that went wrong in a number of the protective agencies that we rely on in South Australia. The questions that were asked in this parliament, subsequent to the time of the arrest but prior to the conviction of the accused in that case, exclusively related to the conduct, or lack thereof, of the agencies that were responsible for the care and protection of those children.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee can leave for half an hour under 137A.

The honourable member for Lee having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: They were not questions about the circumstances surrounding alleged—

Mr Duluk interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Waite will be joining him shortly.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —prior criminal activity and/or imprisonment and/or parole applications—

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: I am not going to take points of order while there is this constant interjecting. I'm sorry. I will listen and ensure that the minister keeps to the substance of the question.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —of the accused in this case. I hope that, even if members of the opposition haven't been listening to that explanation, they will take the time to read it and understand how prejudicial their behaviour is in relation to this matter.

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order, sir: the point of order is relevance, sir. I asked the minister—

The SPEAKER: Debate. Is the Deputy Premier finishing? She's finished. The Deputy Premier has finished. I'll switch to the member for MacKillop. I'll come back to the member for Elizabeth.