Premier Marshall

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:53): My question again is to the Premier. Can the Premier rule out ever using obscene language or yelling at an industry leader in the course of one of his tetchy exchanges?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier is called to order. The member for Hammond is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:53): I have heard of members using obscene language. I know how that is referred to in the Labor Party.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It is referred to as conversational swearing. I also know how it is referred to in The Advertiser—'c-bomb Tom'—which I thought would have been humiliating and there would have been some sort of sanction that was suffered. My understanding, from the evidence that was provided with regard to this matter, is that it was directed at hardworking public servants in South Australia. Apparently this didn't result in sanctions. I think maybe the member for West Torrens said that he was going to reflect—

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, please be seated.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for West Torrens is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Standing order 98: the question was specifically about the Premier's use of obscene language in his tetchy exchanges with business leaders.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members, we were doing so well. Standing order 98 does, of course, focus our attention in relation to a number of rules applying to answers. The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: As I was saying, the member for West Torrens not only directed those comments at senior public servants, hardworking senior public servants in South Australia, but there was of course the case when he directed it at a very senior businessperson in South Australia—

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order. Premier please be seated. There is a further point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The first words out of the Premier's mouth again were debate, rather than answering the question, which was about his use of obscene language with business leaders.

The SPEAKER: Standing order 98 does provide a prohibition on debate. I draw the Premier's attention to the question. The Premier, I do give him a good deal of latitude because he is the Premier. I am listening carefully.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Certainly I share the passion of many of our industry leaders in South Australia who are doing it tough during a pretty tough period for their members, which is, of course, something that I take on board and make sure I listen to as much as possible. With regard to the specific—

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the member for Lee has not made any specific comments.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the call

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: He is keeping it pretty flimsy at the moment. All I can do is reflect on things which we know to be fact.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The member for West Torrens says, 'Why don't you step out and say it outside?' We don't have to step outside; we can actually read it. We can actually read the—

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It's published already—published in black and white.

The SPEAKER: Premier, please be seated. The member for West Torrens can leave the chamber under 137A until the commencement of crossbench questions. I know he listens carefully to those questions.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I know that the opposition subscription to The Advertiser ran out recently because they are only asking questions about articles that appeared three or four weeks ago. But there are plenty of old copies covering in full technicolour detail the issues. The member for West Torrens I think in many ways basically sullied the entire government at the time. I am not specifically aware of the issues—

The SPEAKER: Premier, there is a point of order. I will hear the point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Once again, this was specifically about the Premier's use of obscene language to business leaders.

The SPEAKER: Order, deputy leader! I am going to do something else. Under 137A, Minister for Transport, I direct you to leave the chamber for 15 minutes and to return at the commencement of crossbench questions. I appreciate that debate in the chamber is spirited at the moment and you have been contributing in a spirited way. However, I am struggling to hear the floor.

The honourable member for Gibson having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: We have been very lenient with the member for Lee—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Trade and Investment is warned.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —but his initial question offended standing order 97, including argument, and the member has now three times repeated the argument. What he is asking about is accusations. He pretends that they are facts.

The SPEAKER: Very well, I'm going to take the question from the member for Lee and then I'm going to turn to the member for Hammond.