Riverbank Arena

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. For clarity, is the Premier confirming to the house that there is no circumstance under which he will dump his basketball stadium policy?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:09): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for giving me another four minutes to talk about the important aspects of the Riverbank arena in South Australia. This is an important part of our state, and it has been somewhat neglected for a long period of time.

That is one of the reasons why a previous Liberal administration in South Australia said that we needed to bring football back into the city, a proposal that was initially pooh-poohed by those opposite: they said, 'No way.' In fact, they went down to the SANFL and down to Football Park—of blessed memory—and said, 'We're going to put $100 million or $150 million into keeping you down here.' But the people of South Australia wanted the activities to occur in the CBD, and I think there were two excellent proposals —

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that were taken to the 2014 election: one by the Labor Party and one by the Liberal opposition at the time—

An honourable member: 2010.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The 2010 election, quite right.

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Ultimately, we now have football in the city, and I think—

Mr Brown: And who won that election?

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —most people appreciate that that has been very good for our city, it's been very good for football, it's been very good for cricket. Of course, we have listened to the people at the Stadium Management Authority—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —when they said, 'What we would also like to do is have a hotel within that precinct.' What did those opposite say? No. They said, 'No, we don't want that here in South Australia.' Actually, the people of South Australia love that new hotel in there. The member for Lee can't stop going on about how much he hated it. He also didn't like—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the extension to the Memorial Drive tennis courts.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. The member for West Torrens rises on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, sir: the Premier is not answering the substance of the question but is debating the answer.

The SPEAKER: Well, on the point of order, member for West Torrens, the question—which I listened to carefully and noted down, as members observe I am in the practice of doing—was about as broad a question as one can imagine in some respects, in that it invited consideration of all the circumstances that might pertain to the consideration of the proposition that was put to the Premier. The Premier is answering the question. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Thank you very much, sir. Those opposite also didn't like the plan to put a cover over Memorial Drive. I don't know why they don't want to see that precinct in South Australia developed. I don't know why they don't want to see people coming into the CBD, spending money with our pubs, our clubs, our hotels, restaurants. People coming in, that is the focus for us at the moment because the CBD is doing it very, very tough.

Those opposite say, 'Is there any circumstance, ever, where you won't proceed?' Well, I suppose if there were a nuclear holocaust, if there were a volcano that erupted out of the sea and shattered South Australia, maybe it would be a problem. But we envisage we will be delivering the Riverbank arena, we will be creating jobs in South Australia and, more than that, we will be fixing the mess we inherited from those opposite with the failed Transforming Health and making sure we can take ramping out of South Australia and provide South Australia with the health service it deserves.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the leader, I call to order the member for Hurtle Vale, I call to order the Minister for Child Protection, I call to order the Minister for Innovation and Skills and I call to order the Minister for Education.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the minister!