State Government

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Premier. In the last 30 years of South Australian history, which government is the most divided and dysfunctional: the Olsen government, the Brown government, or the Marshall government?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:22): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for this question. I remember a certain night; I was invited along to the opening of an excellent exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia. We were sitting out on the pavement in front of the facade of the Art Gallery and there was Turner from the Tate that had been delivered. We were all waiting in anticipation for the Premier of the day, Mike Rann, to arrive and make his speech.

This was a very important day for South Australia, to have a massive collection of Turners delivered here to South Australia to create wonderful, increased visitation to our state. We couldn't find the Premier. Where was the Premier? Well, I will tell you exactly and precisely where he was. He was in a meeting. He was in a meeting with the Leader of the Opposition, in his former capacity as a union boss, and the former health minister, Mr Snelling.

They were having a meeting because they had decided that they had had enough. This wasn't a coup that was effected by members of the party room: it was the union stomping on the democratically elected Premier of South Australia. So most divided? I would put it down to that interface between the Rann and the Weatherill governments.