Grievance Debate

Member for Waite

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (15:30): After the last hour, the question again has to be asked: why is this government and why is this place so terrified of scrutiny? We have had one of the most disturbing days in this place that occurred on 13 December, and for nearly three months now there has been an ongoing failure by everyone concerned to provide a straight answer about why more was not done and about why what was done was not done a whole lot better.

I do not need to remind anyone that it took from 13 December to 17 January—35-odd days—for some sort of robust inquiry finally to commence. In fact, I should not say 'robust' because it was not an independent inquiry. It was an inquiry to take its instructions from you, sir, so it was not fully independent. That meant that not only did the media, and hence the people who read the articles they publish, lose confidence in the quality and the independence of this investigation but, of course, so did all of us and so did the remainder of the state—a complete lack of confidence in a workplace, particularly this workplace, that this sort of behaviour could be alleged to occur and nearly three months on still not be dealt with.

Today, what you saw was the culmination, finally the overflowing of genuine frustration from us, despite having a number of question times, a number of opportunities given to us by this place to seek some honest, straightforward answers from those involved, particularly the Premier and you, sir, shut down time and again.

It is absolutely clear now that the reason why the investigation was called on 17 January is that it took two full weeks of the opposition and media haranguing you, sir, to finally do something. If this issue had not made it into the media, despite the best efforts of those in the moderate faction who were briefing them since 14 December, if this issue had not made its way into the public realm, nothing would have been done.

If this issue had not been handled in the way in which it was subsequently handled, including by procuring a private investigator, then the other member concerned, the victim of this alleged behaviour, would not have felt the need to go to the police. That is how badly it has been handled. Now, again, today, when we try to ask questions, when we try to make points about how not only are our questions not being answered but we are not receiving fair treatment in here, we get shut down.

If we believe that there is a lack of confidence on this side in your behaviour and your superintendence of the chamber and the government thinks opposite, and the government can exercise sufficient numbers to have its way once again, then why could we not have the debate? Why could we not for first time start examining these issues that are of such great concern?

All those opposite, perhaps even you, sir, may be quick to jump to the conclusion that this is all petty politicking, that this is us trying to make politics of it. Indeed, the member for Adelaide nods her head. Maybe she cannot see that there were actually employees of this place involved in the alleged behaviour. Maybe she cannot see that a woman, another female MP, not in this place but in the other place, in the Legislative Council, was the victim of the alleged behaviour and it still remains unresolved. What message does that send to the staff in this place? What message does it send to women and other workers in other workplaces around South Australia that they are held to a different standard from us?

Whatever happens in this place, that just goes. We are not held to the same standard. Well, I am not comfortable with that, and I know that the rest of us on this side are not comfortable with that either. It is very hard to try to explain to a constituent why something appropriate, something proper and something more expedient has not been done. I can't find a sufficient justification and, more to the point, we have not even been provided one yet by you or by the Premier, and that is not good enough.

I never thought I would feel ashamed to be a part of this place for this sort of reason, but I have to say that the events of the last few months have started to make me feel that way about this issue.