St Kilda Mangroves

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:53): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Has any government agency contracted Peri Coleman or her company, EcoProTem, to conduct reports or work on environmental issues since 2018?

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:54): I suspect there probably has been, but I cannot be sure about that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Look at the way they laugh at Ms Peri Coleman, look at it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The deputy leader uses this woman as a prop, and it is disgraceful. Peri Coleman is someone I’ve got—

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: And look at this bully, this thug, the member for Cheltenham. Mr Angry over here.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: That bloke needs help.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: That bloke needs to be taken out of here—

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —and locked up, because the member for Cheltenham has major anger management problems.

The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order. The member for West Torrens on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Thank you, sir. Standing order 98: in answering a question, a minister replies to the substance of the question, not whatever that was.

The SPEAKER: I am sure the minister is coming to the substance of the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I certainly am, Mr Speaker. It is just very hard with the member for Cheltenham's uncontrollable anger management problems over my right shoulder here. I make no statements out of—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: Mr Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —I make no statements out of care and compassion for the member for Cheltenham. I want him to get help.

The SPEAKER: There is a further point of order, minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, sir.

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens on standing order 98. I am going to uphold the point of order. Minister, please, can I direct you to the question.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I understand that Peri Coleman was on the Coast Protection Board for many years, almost two decades. She is someone of significant scientific experience, but at the end of the day she is not the person that my agencies have chosen to seek advice and support from. I haven't attacked her or undermined her. They have spoken to her along the way. They recognise her as an expert in coastal saltmarsh and those environments, but we've got to have a whole suite of experts to gain input from. We must peer review our science, and that's the key here.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: The disrespect that the deputy leader shows for the public servants in my departments is actually shameful, because she won't rely on those experts. I will.

The SPEAKER: It may be that the minister has concluded his answer. Is that the case?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 127: personal reflections on members, sir. The minister now is making personal reflections on the deputy leader with no substance of fact whatsoever.

The SPEAKER: Well, that may be, but the deputy leader has not raised that matter with me. The member for Davenport has the call.