State Budget Advertising Campaign

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:31): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier's new advertising campaign on the state budget include information regarding the $6.8 million in new taxes on the state's mining industry?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:31): I am going to refer the specifics of that question to the previous answers I have provided, but I have further information to provide to the house. The Leader of the Opposition is constantly asking questions about and is interested in the advertising budget, so I asked my office—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to do a quick comparison of the first nine months of this year compared with the same period when the Labor Party was last in office.

Mr Hughes: That was not the question.

The SPEAKER: The member for Giles is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I have been advised that there is actually a $7.5 million reduction under this government compared to those opposite. That is important for the budget—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: One moment, Premier; please be seated. The point of order is for debate—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Debate, sir. The question wasn't about—

The SPEAKER: You have asked about an advertising campaign. The Premier is talking about the advertising campaign and relating it to the former government. However, I agree that the $6.8 million context has not come up yet, but I will be listening carefully to ensure that he returns to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't have details of this specific advertising campaign as it relates to the element the Leader of the Opposition asked about, but there is a $7.5 million reduction in advertising expenditure if we take a comparable period, the last nine months versus the last nine months of the previous government. That is important because it means that we as a government can put that $7.5 million saving in advertising into important services for the people of South Australia.

Mr Malinauskas: To pay off the $20 billion debt.

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I think everybody appreciates that there has been a $2.3 billion writedown in revenue coming into the state coffers. This is a particularly tough period for our state, and that is why it is important that when we spend money we spend it in a prudent way, and a $7.5 million saving to the budget in terms of advertising expenditure, Liberal versus Labor, is a very important saving to make.