House of Assembly: Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Contents

NationBuilder

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is to the Premier. Why is it that when South Australians have gone to government websites and clicked on links within those government websites the URL has been redirected through, or gone through, stateliberalleader.nationbuilder.com.au?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:18): I don't have any detail of what the Leader of the Opposition is—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: This is just typical of this Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: You could drive a truck through their arguments at the moment. For example, we had the member for West Torrens out telling the listeners on ABC yesterday—when asked the question point-blank, 'Has the Labor Party ever used NationBuilder?' what was the answer from the member for West Torrens? 'No.' As it turns out, 'Yes.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: He went on the radio. There are more holes in their argument than in Peter Malinauskas's dodgy hydrogen plant. It is just absolutely hopeless. Why don't they provide some evidence—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —rather than make these accusations? Sir, I take offence at the member for West Torrens saying, 'You're crooked,' and I ask him to apologise and take that comment back.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has indicated that he has taken offence at the reference.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I withdraw, sir.

The SPEAKER: The request is that the member for West Torrens withdraw and apologise. I give the member for West Torrens an opportunity to withdraw and apologise.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, sir, I withdraw and apologise.

The SPEAKER: Has the Premier concluded his answer?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I would like to continue because, as I was pointing out to this house, whilst the opposition like to go in and throw the mud around, actually, on the radio very recently the member for West Torrens was asked point-blank, 'Have you or the Labor Party ever used NationBuilder?' He says no. How can he say that? How can he say that?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That wasn't the question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That wasn't the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: But I am glad you've got that wrong as well because it just adds further weight to my argument that this person is just not providing accurate information. Have you ever used NationBuilder? Has the Labor Party ever used NationBuilder? In that question, did it say 'in government'? No. It said, 'Have you ever done it?' and the emphatic answer to the people of South Australia from the member for West Torrens was no. Well, that's just not correct. He knows that it's not correct. Has he gone out to correct the record? No, absolutely not. The member for West Torrens—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —is absolutely unworthy—absolutely unworthy.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens will cease interjecting.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Only minutes ago, he was asked to retract and apologise because he shouts abuse, constant abuse, across the chamber. Well, it's not—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. The member for West Torrens will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with 137A.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. As I said yesterday, and I was extraordinarily clear on this, when this issue was raised with us at first we needed to go to investigate the allegations that were being made because this was not something that was known to us here in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I went through this yesterday, and I am happy to go through it again today. In fact, I am happy to go through it every single question time, if this is the way that the opposition would like to ask questions. We are in the midst of a global pandemic; we have a situation which is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —developing up in Queensland. We don't have questions about that or employment or space or defence. What we've got questions from the opposition about is actually—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —about an issue which we provided clarity for yesterday. NationBuilder provided clarity on it yesterday, yet still—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —those people opposite are out trying to undermine the confidence that the people of South Australia have in the very important work that we are doing in trying to keep the people of South Australia protected at the moment. I will go through it again, sir.

Mr Brown: Keep them informed about your basketball stadium.

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There has been no redirection from government websites to the Liberal Party domains or platforms or websites. This is what I have been very clearly advised, and it was confirmed by NationBuilder in their statement, which the Labor Party by now should have received.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader, I remind all members of standing order 137(1). Standing order 137 deals with persistent or wilful obstruction. I remind members that order in the course of question time must be maintained. I make that general observation and give a general warning to the house in relation to the requirement to neither persistently nor wilfully interject in such a way that obstructs the business of the house. I call to order the member for Cheltenham, the member for Wright, the member for Badcoe, the member for Ramsay and the leader. I call to order and warn the member for Playford. The member for Elder has the call.