Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:44): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Did the minister or anyone in his office instruct the CE of the Office of Recreation, Sport and Racing, Ms Kylie Taylor, not to allow or invite Ms Cassidy, the Chief Executive of Sport SA, to attend an online COVID-19 industry briefing?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:44): This has been couched, I think, quite heavily in the media. I know the member for West Torrens has been pushing this case along. We did have a meeting. Ms Cassidy lodged a complaint about that, which we took very seriously, and I forwarded it to the appropriate authorities through my Chief of Staff. It was being considered, and at the time that was being considered there was an online forum for a lot of the sports. It was about the time of the COVID lockdown, so we engaged with those sporting bodies, as we always had, right throughout. I am very proud of the way the team has done that.

Ms Cassidy had lodged a complaint and my Chief of Staff did advise me that it would be best, to protect everyone, not to have her attend and in fact have someone else from Sport SA to attend that meeting whilst that matter was being sorted out. I took that advice and that was what proceeded.