Question Time

Land Tax

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): My question is to the Premier. How does the Premier expect the people of South Australia to support his land tax bill when members of his own party room don't?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir: that relates to a bill that is before the house.

The SPEAKER: I am going to allow the Premier an opportunity, but the point of order has merit. I am going to allow the Premier the opportunity because I think he can answer without contravening standing orders.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:08): Thank you very much, sir. I take this opportunity to just remind this house what is actually before the house at the moment. This is a once in a generation opportunity.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This is a once in a generation opportunity, which should not be lost. And what do we find from those opposite?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: What do we find? Base politics. Hours and hours spent by those opposite talking about the title—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, cease gesticulating.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —of the bill.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That is what they are talking about opposite. They are not putting the people of South Australia first. They have never put the people of South Australia first—never, ever. Not content with 16 years—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —in government, with a massive handbrake on our economy, now they are trying to apply that same handbrake whilst they are in opposition. We are committed. We are committed to the people of South Australia—a fairer land tax system for South Australia, a lower land tax regime, whilst those opposite want to entrench the highest land tax rate in the nation: 3.7 per cent. They love tax. They are addicted to tax. They want to inflict this high tax regime on every single South Australian.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The people of South Australia threw them out of government and installed a government, and the people of South Australia expect this government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to push ahead with reform, and reform is tough. Reform is tough. Those opposite, whilst they were in government, were content to sweep these tough problems under the carpet because they didn't have the ticker. They didn't have the backbone for tough reform. They are great at throwing hand grenades, but the reality is that what we need in this state is a parliament that can actually put the people of South Australia first, and that is what we have done.

We have a balanced position that is before the parliament at the moment. We are going to be arguing every second that we have for the case for reform to take us off the highest land tax rate in the nation—3.7 per cent, a crippling rate—down to the top marginal rate in South Australia of 2.4 per cent. It's the biggest drop in the history of South Australia: 3.7 down to 2.4, and what are they doing? They are whingeing about it. They are whingeing about it and talking for hours and hours and hours on the title of the bill.

This is a disgrace. Those opposite should hang their heads in shame. They are led by the weakest opposition leader in this state's history, a leader with no backbone whatsoever, a leader who allows his motley crew to thumb their nose at the people of South Australia and talk for hours and hours, hold up this parliament—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and have the officers from the department sitting here until midnight to talk about the title of a bill because they have nothing constructive to offer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They have nothing constructive to offer. They are just blockers. They do not put the people of South Australia first—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and they are not worthy.

The SPEAKER: I remind members that there is a bill before the house concerning land tax. The leader can be seated for one moment.