Ministerial Accountability

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is again to the Premier. Does he stand by his previous public remarks regarding ministerial accountability made on 1 March 2018? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: On 1 March 2018, on the eve of an election, ABC radio presenter David Bevan asked the then opposition leader:

If there is a scandal and you're lucky enough to be Premier and a Minister says, 'I'm sorry, I wasn't told.' And it is astonishing that he didn't know. Will that Minister lose [his] job?

The then opposition leader replied:

Absolutely and I would expect the Minister to resign. Any self-respecting minister would resign if this happened on their watch and I've made this clear right from day one. If a minister didn't resign to this sort of ineptitude I would have no hesitation whatsoever about sacking that Minister.

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Before I hear the Premier's answer, the member for Kaurna can leave for the remainder of question time under 137A.

The honourable member for Kaurna having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Education is warned. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:22): I just refer the honourable member to my previous answer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!