Parliament House Staffers

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Premier, representing the Treasurer. The Premier, having been in receipt of the allegations made yesterday by the Hon. Tammy Franks and also being in receipt of the Equal Opportunity Commission report, specific references the Attorney-General just made, what action is he taking to ensure that the Liberal Party staffer, who is alleged to have urinated within this workplace and exposed themselves completely inappropriately, is no longer working here?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:27): I just refer the leader to my previous comments. I have had no formal advice—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —with regard—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to this matter. There has been no formal complaint. There are processes if people come forward. But, as the Deputy Premier has I think very eloquently outlined to the house, this government has taken action. This government got the Acting equal opportunity commissioner to come in and look at the practices that were presided over by those opposite for 16 years.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The Leader of the Opposition asks: what have you done? Well, has he been asleep this entire time? Asleep?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned for a second time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: You have sat through the debates in this house and you have sat through the reports to this house. You're asleep at the wheel because—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —you're a weak, weak leader. We have taken action in this house.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We were the ones who got the acting equal opportunity commissioner in—

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat for a moment.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —to review the practices here. We were the ones—

The SPEAKER: The Premier will resume his seat. The member for Playford will leave for 30 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: I remind all members that it is disorderly to interject in the course of an answer. The Premier has the call. He is entitled to be heard in silence.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The Leader of the Opposition sits there barking during an answer which is being provided in his question time to questions that he asks, saying, 'What have you done?' This is an outrageous allegation that we haven't done anything. We have taken more action in this area of addressing these issues associated with the completely and utterly unacceptable—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —practices that existed here and, by the way, within the judiciary. There were only two occupations—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Kaurna!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —in the state which were exempt—politicians in this place and the judiciary—and we are the ones who have actually addressed it. So that's what we have done. The question is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —what did the Leader of the Opposition do when he was in the cabinet? What did the previous government do? This is not an issue that has really only existed in the last three years. There have been issues regarding practices in this Parliament House for a long period of time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That was the finding of the acting equal opportunity commissioner. I invite the Leader of the Opposition, rather than shout during question time, to read the report, get a briefing, find out what's going on.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Before I call the deputy leader, who I understand is seeking the call, as opposed to rising on a point of order—

Dr CLOSE: Seeking the call.

The SPEAKER: —I call to order the deputy leader and I warn the member for Kaurna. I just remind all members on my left and on my right of the importance of maintaining order in the course of both the question and the answer. The deputy leader is entitled to be heard in silence. The deputy leader has the call.