State Liberal Government

Mr DULUK (Waite) (14:16): My question is also to the Premier. Can the Premier update the house on how the government has delivered this year for the people of South Australia?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:16): I thank the my good friend the member for Waite, the former member for Davenport—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Ramsay!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —who knows that this has been a good year for the government. It has been a good year for the government because we focused on the things which are important to the people of South Australia—not cheap political pointscoring but focusing on the very things that we were elected to do to back the people of South Australia.

Can I say, it has been a very productive time in this house. I can't speak for the other place, but I know that in here 39 separate pieces of legislation have already passed so far this year and there could be more. In particular, I was very pleased that the area of land tax was dealt with. Under the previous administration, it was swept under the carpet. Complex problems were kicked down the road, never addressed—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Primary Industries!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This parliament, and in particular those on this side of the house, have dealt with a complex issue and delivered a massive reform to a complex area like land tax. But it doesn't stop there.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Reynell! Deputy leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I congratulate the Minister for Environment and Water on dealing with the Natural Resources Management Act—courageous—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale is on two warnings.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to deliver for us new legislation, Landscape SA, and I congratulate him. I congratulate the Attorney-General on the excellent work that she has done on a raft of legislation in this house. In particular, I would like to highlight—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the excellent work that she has done with regard to the introduction of mandatory drug treatment for young people in South Australia, and also the groundbreaking national work to introduce a new offence for strangulation in situations of domestic and family violence.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Tell us about the 'monatorium'.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would also like to particularly single out the Minister for Education in South Australia, who took a look at the Education and Children's Services Act. This was an act first put in place in 1972, untouched for over 16 years—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hurtle Vale!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —of the previous failed administration. Plenty of reform in that work, which was done, and much more to come. We are very pleased with this year. We have been able to put land tax legislation through this place, and lower, slash, payroll tax on 1 January this year. The people in small business in South Australia—

Mr Duluk: They hate small business.

The SPEAKER: Member for Waite!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —are thanking us for reducing that tax burden. We have continued to slash the emergency services levy bills for people in South Australia—another $90 million—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —going back into the pockets of hardworking South Australians. We've been able to reduce the cost of car registration, a 3 per cent reduction in electricity bills for those people on market contracts and we have also, importantly, committed to the long-term reduction in water bills in South Australia. We uncovered the rort—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the absolutely shameful rort put in place by the previous government. They laughed at the rort. Well, no more. We have exposed that rort and lower water bills are coming for the people of South Australia. I would also like to congratulate the Minister for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure in South Australia: a record infrastructure spend for South Australia—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —$11.9 billion going into infrastructure in South Australia: more roads—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the Gawler electrification project, which was neglected by those opposite because it was in a seat that wasn't swinging; and a massive investment into regional roads in South Australia, with $1.1 billion going into those. There are better services in terms of health and in terms of education, putting the people of South Australia first. We have very much enjoyed the opportunity, the privilege, of serving the people as government for the first 20 months since the election, and we are very much looking forward to the years ahead.

The SPEAKER: One moment, leader. I didn't want to interrupt the Premier's answer, so I am going to intervene now. The member for Hurtle Vale was on two warnings. She continued to interject. I am going to ask her to leave the chamber for half an hour under 137A. Thank you. When she does, the leader will have another question.

The honourable member for Hurtle Vale having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: I remind the member for Playford that he is also on two warnings.