Public Transport Privatisation

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): If the minister has not been involved in the procurement process, how is it possible that the $1 million loser fee was signed off on? Was that signed off on by someone in the department or would it not require ministerial approval?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:39): Again, I can't be any clearer with how the process works. When we talk about contracts, and, again, I know that the leader has had his portfolio—he has made a mess of plenty of others, but he hasn't had his hands on this one—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kaurna! The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: What I will say to the Leader of the Opposition when he asks that question is maybe just turn behind him to the man who pulls the strings—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Go back to race calling.

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —and ask the member for West Torrens what happened when he was the minister. In fact, ask the member for Lee what happened when he was minister when they signed contracts. With contracts like the Torrens to Torrens—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —when they paid fees to unsuccessful bidders, ask him how that process worked.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader is warned for a second time. The member for Lee is warned for a second time. The minister has the call.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: Again, I encourage him to talk to his colleagues because there is a process that is gone through with contracts and it happened on the Torrens to Torrens, it happened on Darlington and it happened on the Torrens rail project. When their side were in government, millions and millions of dollars were paid to unsuccessful bidders. There is a process. There is a protocol. He is very free to speak to—

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, deputy leader!

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD: —his colleagues who would know exactly what happened because they paid millions and millions in the same process.