Land Tax

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:44): My question is to the Premier. Why is the Premier prepared to persevere on a land tax policy he did not take to an election but is prepared to abandon GlobeLink that he did take to an election?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order: this is a question designed for a TV script. It's not in conjunction with standing order 97.

The SPEAKER: That is a bogus point of order. What I am going to do is ask members to be quiet. I'm going to ask the leader to rephrase the question and take out the commentary and argument that will breach standing order 97. I am going to allow the question and then I am going to allow the answer.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:45): I got the gist of the question.

The SPEAKER: You got the question? Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The leader wrote it himself. It's on a different piece of paper. He didn't get it from the dream factory. This is one of his own and it's not a very good one, but we will give him an answer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The reality is very clear: we went to the election talking about our attraction to the concept of GlobeLink and we have acted swiftly to make that investigation, which is underway. We will update the people of South Australia in due course. We do not apologise, as the minister has pointed out, for doing a thorough investigation—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —because we think that it is important to have prudent—

Mr Picton: You promised to do it. You said you were going to do it.

The SPEAKER: Member for Kaurna, quiet!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —management of the state's finances, unlike the rabble opposite who presided over a series of pet projects around marginal seats—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and electoral cycles for 16 years. We are just fixing up the mess. The member for Light looks incredulous at the moment that we are even having this discussion because it is this side of the parliament which is actually finally delivering the Gawler line electrification promised by those opposite more than a decade ago. So we are dealing with these issues. With regard to the land tax issue again, we went to the election saying that we wanted to create the most attractive place in Australia for investment—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and sitting on a land tax rate of 3.7 per cent is not the most attractive environment. Those opposite seek to entrench the most uncompetitive land tax regime in the country in South Australia. There's an opportunity at the moment, and this is really a test of the mettle of the two parties. On this side, we are up for reform. We know it's difficult—we know that it's difficult.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: For some reason, the Leader of the Opposition—

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Deputy leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —his only point that he keeps making at the moment is this issue that we have changed the current legislation before the parliament from what was brought down in this chamber as part of the state budget—true.

Mr Malinauskas: Five times.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: True; you've got us.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It's different. Big tick. You have finally worked out that something has actually changed—fantastic!

Mr Malinauskas: Yes, you're increasing land tax; that's right.

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: But the reality is we said that we would be going out. We said that we would be consulting with people. We said that we would put the people of South Australia first. What we've got over the other side is base politics, the opportunity to spread fear across the electorates, across the state and entrench the worst land tax—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —regime in the country. Those opposite should hang their heads in shame.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is on two warnings. The member for Frome has the call.