Keogh Case

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): My question is to the Premier. Why won't the Premier inform the house why he has not read the report from the now Chief Justice, Chris Kourakis?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:10): I think it has been made abundantly clear—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is called to order and warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —that the report has been made public by virtue of tabling it in the parliament, and I don't know whether the Leader of the Opposition—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is also warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —was listening to the last answer. I think what's important to understand, and I will just repeat this, is that the purpose and more importantly the relevance of this document for the purposes of determining any payment that was made to Mr Keogh is frankly irrelevant. It's an historical document, which eight years predated the Full Court determination to quash the sentence—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

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

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and indeed 10 years predated the legal advice given to the previous government, and I think on that basis—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —11½ years predated the further legal advice given to this government in relation to those matters.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: The Leader of the Opposition was a member of the cabinet in that time. He probably has more information about this matter than I do.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier and the leader, please cease interjecting.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I make this point: I bring to the attention of the cabinet, and indeed the Premier, matters that are relevant to the issues in question. I personally had not read this document before ANZAC Day last week for obvious reasons: because it was advice to the previous government. I would have had to write to the Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Premier!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —to seek the permission of the Leader of the Opposition—

Mr Cowdrey interjecting:

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

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —for the disclosure of that document. He might want to check his own notes, but I don't recall ever a time the Leader of the Opposition—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education is warned.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —ringing my office to say, 'Look, please advise the Attorney that I give permission for her to review a document which was provided to the legal advice of my government.'

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Premier!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: He didn't do that ever.