Land Tax

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:08): Will the Premier now apologise to the house for continually insisting that 92 per cent of landowners are better off under these tax changes, which his Treasurer says are a tax increase?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:08): We stand by our reform that will lower land tax. The modelling that has been done that has been verified shows—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that it will take a whole—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, if that was not organic coughing—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Yes, it was, sir.

The SPEAKER: It was? Well, you are on two warnings.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Ease up. He hasn't had too many questions this week and there is a bit of shuffling going on over there at the moment. I tell you what, it's leaning a bit towards the member for Lee at the moment. The member for Port Adelaide is completely leaped over at the moment it would seem, but it's pretty messy over there at the moment, whereas over here—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we are resolute that we are prepared to take on the tough issues, arrive at a position, which may not satisfy everybody but is in the best interests—

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham, you can leave for 20 minutes under 137A.

The honourable member for Cheltenham having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We are prepared to take on these issues, unlike those opposite with a leader who is floating around like a feather on the breeze—no idea where he is going to land. He wants to basically talk to each group and give a different answer.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The Premier is not even attempting to answer the question, sir. He is debating.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I had to deal with a number of coughing fits, gesticulations and interjections, so I didn't hear all of the Premier's answer, but I will listen very carefully. Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Of the modelling we have provided, 92 per cent of individual investors will end up—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —better off.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Premier, be seated for one moment. Leader, I have given you fair latitude for the first six minutes. I cannot tolerate this amount of interjection; otherwise, members, including yourself, may be leaving. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It is difficult, sir, to remember the question with those opposite behaving like they are. It must be very disconcerting to the guests who are with us today in the public gallery. The reality is that the reforms that we are putting forward are going to be a substantial reduction in land tax for this economy. It is going to create more investment—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —intrastate and from interstate into South Australia. As that investment dollar grows so does our economy, and for too long investors—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —both within our state and from interstate have been bypassing South Australia because of the 3.7 per cent, but for some reason those opposite want to perpetuate the current scenario, or maybe a different situation, or maybe support it. They don't know. They've got no idea on a fundamental reform for our economy.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has completed his answer. I am going—

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

The SPEAKER: Is the Minister for Education talking to himself? I'm not sure. The leader has the call, and then I am going to swap to the member for Flinders who, as always, has been patiently waiting. Leader.