Glenthorne Council

Mr BOYER (Wright) (14:22): My question is to the Deputy Premier. When did cabinet approve the creation of the new Glenthorne council announced yesterday by the member for Davenport?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government) (14:22): The member would be aware, and if he is not I will perhaps remind him, that there is a commission that operates. It is chaired by Mr Bruce Green—

Mr Picton interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: No, there has been one actually—set up a new council. Obviously the member for Kaurna hasn't remembered in his own government. This is not a new one, this is—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: This is one that's been around for a long time, actually. In any event, it deals with the grants commission and it also has responsibility for boundaries. It has been around probably for all the time I have been here in the parliament.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Well, you are not listening. I am happy to—do you want to hear—

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: To the best of my knowledge it comprises Mr Green, Ms Campana and I think a representative from the South-East who are on that body. I think they are monitoring three applications for change of boundaries in South Australia at present and they are to make a decision and then apparently report to me on one, as I understand it, they are considering be presented to me for consideration for them to investigate. That's the process.

I am aware that there are others, not just members of parliament but others in the community, who write to me from time to time and ask me to consider changes of boundaries. I don't have that power. It's the commission that has to do that. In relation to any member who wishes to propose any change to boundaries within their electorate, then they can certainly go through that process.

Up until a few years ago, my recollection is that there would only be consideration of any change of boundary if both (or all three sometimes) councils who are seeking a boundary change between them agree. That has been the practice for most of the years I have been here in the parliament. In recent years, that practice is allowing the commission to receive those applications and to do it.

So members are perfectly entitled to present arguments and even propose them publicly and have discussion within their own areas, and the people they represent who want any changes in this regard, they are most welcome to canvass those and present their arguments to the commission.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The members for Lee and Playford are called to order.