Parliamentary Procedure

Standing Orders Suspension

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Minister for Energy and Mining) (16:55): I move without notice:

That standing orders be so far suspended as to enable me to move a motion forthwith for the rescission of a sessional order.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Pederick): There not being an absolute majority, ring the bells.

An absolute majority of the whole number of members being present:

The SPEAKER: Leader of Government Business, it may be that you wish to address me on the suspension. You have leave. The motion has been accepted.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: The government seeks to suspend standing orders to revoke the sessional order that was brought into this place on 12 October that allows the Speaker to set any potential additional sitting days. The reason that we need to suspend standing orders to do it is that this is the last day of the scheduled sitting program.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of Government Business has the call.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: A letter has been received by all MPs from the Speaker indicating the Speaker's wish with regard to other sitting days but, given that this section of the time in the chamber is devoted to debating the suspension or otherwise, the reason that we need to suspend parliament to do this now is that it is of course time sensitive. This is the last scheduled day for parliament and so this is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —the time to determine whether it is the will of the house for the sessional order to stay in place or the will of the house for it to be revoked. To do it any time later than this would be a waste, of course, and completely inappropriate. It is without doubt necessary that this matter is considered by the house now.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (16:59): What an antidemocratic, anti-accountable—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —terrified of scrutiny—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Terrified of having questions asked of them, terrified of what comes next. But do you know what? I understand the fear. I can see the fear in the member for Gibson.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order. Member for West Torrens, please be seated.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, I ask you to direct the member back to the substance of the debate, which is the suspension.

The SPEAKER: Yes, It was a spirited debate. I will draw the attention of the member for West Torrens to the substance of the debate.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The government at 5 o'clock today, a couple of months away from the next state election, does not want the parliament to sit again. Why? Why would the government not want to sit again? Perhaps they want to suspend standing orders—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. Member for West Torrens, please be seated.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Again, the member is trying to debate something different from the substance, which is the suspension of the standing orders.

The SPEAKER: Yes, well, I have allowed the member for West Torrens quite some latitude. We will come to the substance of the suspension question.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: There is only one reason the government feels that it is urgent to suspend standing orders, and that is to run protection for their embattled Deputy Premier, who has just faced a humiliating no-confidence motion—the first passed since responsible government began in South Australia—in the house of government.

Never before, and now they do not want anymore scrutiny. Why? Because the house will impose penalties on a member who has misled us. What they are trying to do is shut down our democratic institutions.

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Could you go any lower, Premier?

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for West Torrens, be seated.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, I have asked three times. On the second time I asked you directed the member and he is defying your ruling.

The SPEAKER: Well, I have not in fact upheld the point of order, but on this occasion I will. The point of order has been upheld. Member for West Torrens, we must come to the substance.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Attempting to suspend standing orders, they are working to attempt to weaken the office of Speaker. The office of Speaker, as we speak, is considering a matter of privilege into the Deputy Premier, given a select committee report we have received. Why they want to suspend standing orders now, an hour before we are due to rise, is that they wish to run for cover and not reappear for scrutiny in the parliament for four months.

Not a confident government, not a confident Premier, but a Premier leading a scandal-prone government that is fearful of scrutiny. That is why they want to suspend standing orders, but what they are afraid of today is an independent Chair overseeing the parliament, making sure the parliament sits when it is in the public interest. We will not be supporting this from a cowardly Premier.

The SPEAKER: I will put the question. Does the leader wish to exercise a right of reply?

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: I want to vote on this matter and then move on and vote on the next one—democracy.

Ayes 24

Noes 22

Majority 2