McGowan, Dr C.

Mr PICTON (Kaurna) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. If, as the Premier just said, the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment was the one who conducted the recruitment process of Dr McGowan, why and how could it be that the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment is the appropriate person to conduct an investigation into this matter?

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned. Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:26): It seems extraordinary to me that the opposition is now questioning the integrity and the independence of the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for West Torrens, you are on two warnings.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Can I make it clear that Ms Erma Ranieri is one of the most significant, long-serving, diligent, high integrity, capable public servants we have in South Australia, and I find it absolutely disgraceful that the opposition would be casting any question on her ability to look into this issue.

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

The SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order. I take it that the member for West Torrens feels aggrieved.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: This is debate, sir. The opposition made no reference whatsoever to the integrity of Ms Ranieri. It is offensive.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is for debate. I have the point of order; I also have the question. I have allowed the Premier some time to provide some relevant background information and I ask him to come back to the substance of the question. Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It was very clear to me with the tenor of the question that the opposition was questioning whether or not Ms Ranieri would be appropriate—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to look into this matter. We reject their—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Lee!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —hideous slur on the office of the public sector commissioner—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and we have all confidence in the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment in this state to look into this matter.

Ms Stinson: You're in trouble on this.

The SPEAKER: The member for Badcoe is on two warnings. If this continues, she will be leaving. The member for Kaurna and then the member for Elder.