Grievance Debate

State Liberal Party

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (15:34): COVID has given the Premier and this government an opportunity to show the people of South Australia how they govern, but of course, what we have really seen is an example of how Grant Stevens and Nicola Spurrier govern. When you pull away COVID and look beyond the COVID response and at how the Premier is actually governing, it is a dumpster fire.

No other Premier in the history of this state has done more internal damage to their party than this Premier. It is unprecedented that a Premier elected with a majority at the last election is now in a scenario where he has only 21 votes on the floor of the House of Assembly—and it is down to one unique quality, the Premier's leadership style. There is no other reasoning for this.

The Liberal Party have long been known for being at war with themselves. The Premier was given much credence and accolades by the media and public commentators for having plastered over the cracks and healed the rifts, yet here we are with not one, not two, but three managers of government business; not one, but two ministers having to quit; one President of the Legislative Council; another Speaker; a whip. We have had backbenchers contemplating whether or not they would quit. We have had members forced to leave the Liberal Party and one who has now left because they were completely disillusioned with the leadership of the Liberal Party.

Take away Nicola Spurrier and Grant Stevens and it is there for all to see: a government that cannot govern itself cannot govern the people of South Australia. What happens to the people of this state when Grant Stevens and Nicola Spurrier are no longer making the decisions on behalf of our health, safety and wellbeing and it is left up to the people opposite, who cannot govern themselves? We have already seen the confusion around Christmas, and we have now seen, with the Attorney-General, that a majority of this house thinks she has questions to answer. It goes on and on and on—let alone the work of the ICAC investigating members.

If this government were an animal, it would be put down. They are at the end of their life in three short years. They are an appalling government. They are a government that are so bereft of leadership that the Premier—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Minister for Education!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —when he hears he has lost his majority in the house, his working majority in the house, what does he do but get in his government limousine and head off to a taxpayer-funded soirée two nights in a row. He is off there to Transcendence, Iridescence, or whatever you want to call it—a bit of meditation, a soirée, drinking wonderful wines with other public servants and no-one else attended to—

An honourable member: Social media influencers.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: And social media influencers. That is where he is. Rather than trying to put back the pieces of his government, he goes off to a party twice, not just Friday night but also Saturday night. Can you imagine any other Premier in the federation, on hearing that they have now gone from 22 votes in the House of Assembly—which means that the member for Narungga can no longer tie the vote, giving the Speaker the casting vote—who would rather go to a party than immediately drive to the member for Kavel's home and implore him to stay, to hear his concerns on behalf of his constituents?

No, he went to dinner, he went to a party—and he did it again the next night. Then on Sunday he lost his voice. If that is the leadership style of this Premier, I hope Grant Stevens and Nicola Spurrier are in charge right up until the election because God help the people of South Australia if it is left to the Premier.

This parliament will now start exerting leadership. We have done that now with ministers who have flouted the standing orders, who think they can say whatever they want in here because they have treated their majority as a dictatorship. Those days are now gone. Ministers will be held to account for what they say in this place and, if they mislead us, they will be facing privileges committees.