Question Time

Christmas Pageant

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL (Mawson) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. Why is it the Premier wrote to me on Monday telling me that, 'In fairness to all South Australians, the ticketing for the Christmas Pageant at Adelaide Oval will be managed through a ballot process'? With your leave and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. L.W.K. BIGNELL: On 11 September, I wrote to the Premier asking that he consider giving a ticket allocation to children from Kangaroo Island to recognise that they had lost their homes and their Christmas last year because of the bushfires that devastated the island. How is it fair to all South Australians that some adults have been able to buy their way into the pageant with lavish food, beer and wine packages in corporate suites for $2,250 and packages in the Ian McLachlan and William Magarey rooms for $1,150?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:04): I thank the member for Mawson for his question. He's right: he has written to me with regard to, I think, a very reasonable request. When I made inquires with regard to how ticket allocation was going to occur, I was advised that there was a ballot system, and I felt this was a fair system for the entire state. It is now clear that there has been some additional cost that has been put on to opening up for additional capacity at the Oval with the corporate suites, and the organisers tried to offset some of that additional cost by charging for those areas. I think this was very disappointing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —so I have made it very clear and requested that no further sales like that occur and that those additional seats go into the general pool for the ballot.