House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Question Time Land Tax Land Tax Mr MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Leader of the Opposition Land Tax Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier agree with South Australia's largest private employer that his proposed land tax changes are a bad deal for the state and there would be no winners if the reforms went ahead? The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order: the member is seeking to characterise facts without seeking the leave of the house to introduce them. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I have had a look at yesterday's Hansard. I was very lenient. I am keen to probably bring it back a notch, so I'm going to give the leader an opportunity— The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell House of Assembly The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: Keep up the good work! The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Thank you. I am going to give the leader an opportunity to, if he could, perhaps, just remove part of what I took to be the insertion of fact, or commentary, an argument, characterisation. If you could just tailor that back a notch, I will allow the question. Leader. The Hon. D.G. Pisoni House of Assembly The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: Or seek leave. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The Minister for Innovation is not assisting and he is called to order. An honourable member House of Assembly An honourable member: Chuck him out. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I might today. Leader. Mr MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Mr MALINAUSKAS: Thanks, Mr Speaker. My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier agree with South Australia's largest private employer that his land tax reforms are a bad deal? The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly Dunstan Premier The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:04): Sir, I am happy to answer this question. What I read from the largest employer in South Australia was crystal clear—that South Australia has the worst land tax regime in the nation. That is what we on this side of the chamber— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —are trying to address. Those opposite want to entrench the worst land tax system in the country—3.7 per cent—and they are defending it. They are entrenching it. They want to keep it. They had it for 16 years and they want it even more. Well, the answer is: we are up for reform on this side of the chamber because we want to reduce taxes in South Australia. We want to reduce that tax burden. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We want to create a more competitive environment. We want to create a more competitive environment in South Australia, and 3.7 per cent is not a competitive environment. Those opposite want to entrench— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Members on my left! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —an unfair system that delivers the highest land tax in the nation. They should hang their heads in shame. That's what you are arguing for—3.7 per cent. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It's a disgrace. It's one thing for them to preside over this and make sure it is entrenched while they are in government. It's another thing from opposition to try to entrench the worst land tax regime in the country. Those opposite should hang their heads in shame. They are contributing to the worst land tax situation in the nation being presided over by this parliament. They have the opportunity. The debate is still underway. They have the opportunity to forget about their— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL House of Assembly The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —base politics, put the people of South Australia first, try to do everything they can to make it a more attractive environment and back those people instead of the fake and phoney arguments that they have been using in this chamber so far. The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is called to order, as is the leader, the member for Wright, the deputy leader, the member for Mawson, the member for Ramsay, the Deputy Premier and the member for Hammond. Leader. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Minister for Primary Industries and member for West Torrens, if this continues you will be doing this outside over a coffee. Leader.