Minister for Environment and Water

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:30): My question is to the Minister for Environment and Water. Did the minister ask business leaders last night to lobby the Premier for a new job? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Dr CLOSE: The opposition has been advised that the minister told the audience at the FutureSA event at Rydges last night, and I quote, 'If you want to have a chat with the Premier about other opportunities, then please do. The problem with this portfolio are the crazy leftist activists and what they do.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members to my left!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Minister for Environment and Water) (14:30): This is the calibre—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I was asked a question from the floor at this event last night as to whether I saw myself being in this portfolio well into the future or whether I had interests or ambitions in other portfolios, and I said this was a portfolio that I enjoyed.

I had actually asked the Premier back in 2017, and I recounted this story to the audience. I said I had asked the Premier to be the environment minister. I had studied environmental studies at university and this was a long-term passion of mine. I remember when the Premier called me in January 2017 and asked me if I was interested in going into shadow cabinet and which portfolios I might be interested in, I specifically said environment and water. I recounted that story last night.

I also recounted the story of how, sadly, under Labor there had been a 60 per cent reduction in my department, a complete diminishment of the National Parks and Wildlife Service—ranger numbers from 300 to 93—and I saw there was an opportunity—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader is called to order.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I saw a phenomenal opportunity to rebuild his portfolio, and that is exactly—

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —what I went about doing: rebuilding this portfolio. When I was asked from the floor last night did I foresee myself in any other portfolio in the future, I said there's always going to be interest in other portfolios, but because—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is called to order.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I'm always very up-front with these things. I don't see the point of saying you're going to go on and on and on forever, so I said if people thought that there was another portfolio I should be doing perhaps they should talk to the Premier about that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I don't know how they do things over on that side. We know it's all carved up behind the scenes with the faceless unions. They are told what to do, but we actually have a merit-based conversation—

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —on this side of the house. I'm not seeing any great—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens, member for Elizabeth, member for Wright!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —revelation in these comments today.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, deputy leader!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: I serve at the pleasure of the Premier. I have enjoyed this portfolio and I have achieved far more than anyone on that side of the house—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —did in this portfolio. They always gave it to the weakest minister in the weakest faction and, should we be unfortunate enough that they form government in the future, it will probably go to the weakest minister in the weakest faction again. I have delivered a huge amount for this portfolio. I am proud of what this government has achieved for this environment. If people want to take comments made at a function last night out of context, that's fine, but I have provided much more content in what I said last night to the house here than those people have recounted to you.