Comas, Ms T.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:51): My question is to the Premier, representing the Treasurer. Can the Premier inquire of the Treasurer if Ms Tui Comas, an employee in the then Mitchell electorate office, was moved into another electorate office after allegations of falsifying time sheets were made against the then member for Mitchell?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:52): I will refer that question—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to the Treasurer in the other house. If there are any other members, maybe on his own side, and some of their inappropriate behaviour that he would like me to ask the Treasurer about, I will do that at the same time.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There have been some matters in the media recently regarding unacceptable behaviour in electorate offices—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. The member for West Torrens will leave for the next 15 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker: the Premier was yelling again and, in doing so, breached standing order 127, making personal reflections on other members.

The SPEAKER: I must confess, member for Lee, I did not hear any such personal reflection. The Premier is in the course of providing his answer. If there is anything the Premier might reflect on in that regard, he has an opportunity to do so. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Thank you very much, sir. The member for West Torrens was asking questions about the member on our side of the house and asked me to make inquiries of the Treasurer. I was just asking the member for West Torrens whether he had any other members in this house he would like me to make inquiries about regarding their behaviour, their electorate offices.

There have been quite a number of issues canvassed in the media in recent times regarding the behaviour of members of the Australian Labor Party, the opposition, who reside on the opposition benches. If he would like me to make inquiries regarding those people, then I am more than happy to do so. I would also be very happy to make inquiries of the member for West Torrens' behaviour. Of course, we have seen some of his behaviour canvassed by the ICAC commission previously.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They talked about some of the terrible behaviour and language used—

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —in the course of his work as a minister of the Crown.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat for a moment. The member for Lee rises on a point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Standing order 127 again: this is not an opportunity for the Premier to unreasonably slander another member, particularly when they are not in the chamber.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right! Standing order 127 certainly constrains the minister's answer. Digressions, including personal reflections, are disorderly. I remind all members of that fact. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There have been media reports in recent weeks about behaviour or activities within electorate offices. Light comes to mind and Badcoe, Reynell are electorate offices which have had stories in the media regarding the behaviour within those electorate offices, and I am happy to make that inquiry—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the deputy leader!

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —on behalf of the member for West Torrens.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: These things probably need to be fully investigated.

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat. The member for Lee rises on a point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The Premier is now seeking to smear a whole range of other MPs—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Mr Speaker, in your previous rulings—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I haven't finished.

The Hon. S.S. Marshall: I ask the member for Lee to withdraw that comment and apologise.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: No. No, I won't.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is warned for a second time. The member for Mawson will cease interjecting. The Premier rises on a point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Yes, sir. I take offence at the assertion from the member for Lee, and I ask him to withdraw and apologise for that comment.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Nothing to withdraw and apologise for, sir.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee will be aware that the test in these circumstances is a subjective test. The Premier having taken offence, I ask the member for Lee to withdraw that remark.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Mr Speaker, I am sorry, there wasn't a remark to withdraw and apologise for. I said the Premier is seeking to slander other members. I had preceded that remark with repeatedly raising a breach of standing order 127 about the Premier reflecting on other members. I am sorry if he is offended by that, but I am not withdrawing it and I am not apologising to him.

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader will cease interjecting. The member for Lee I am asking to withdraw that remark, the Premier having taken offence, and in circumstances in which the relevant test pursuant to the standing order is a subjective one.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: I am sorry, sir—not even the most precious of people could have been offended by that. There is nothing to withdraw and apologise for.

The SPEAKER: In the circumstances, the member for Lee will leave for the remainder of question time.

The honourable member for Lee having withdrawn from the chamber: