Parliamentary Sitting Program

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (15:20): Supplementary question to the minister in charge of government business: in 2017 and 2013, the same periods of time you mentioned, was there a pandemic impacting the state of South Australia?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members, we will hear the Deputy Premier.

The Hon. S.S. Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier is called to order.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

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

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart—Deputy Premier, Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:21): The reality is that we have never, ever had a global pandemic before, not for 100 years, so it's a pretty straightforward question to answer. There has not been a global pandemic since the Spanish flu, approximately—

Mr Picton interjecting:

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

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —100 years ago, so the answer to that question—

Mr Odenwalder interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Elizabeth!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —is self-evident.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hurtle Vale! Member for Mawson!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: If the member for Frome is surreptitiously trying to argue in his question, if hypothetically—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —he's trying to surreptitiously argue in his question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I have not ruled in relation to any point of argument. I encourage you not to speculate on any ruling that might come because there is not going to be one. I'm hearing you, Deputy Premier.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: If hypothetically there is a reason behind the question from the member for Frome, then let me just say very clearly: we follow the health advice when it comes to this pandemic. We started—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —addressing this issue as a government saying at the beginning, the middle and at the end that we follow the health advice. The health advice—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —has nothing to do with this parliament sitting. It is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It would be an extraordinary thing to direct members to leave in the last three minutes of what may be the last question time. We will hear the Deputy Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: This is entirely speculative by those opposite. Let me just say that we have the best interests of the people of South Australia at heart. We are dealing with a global pandemic. Some commentators say that our government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —is actually doing it better than any other jurisdiction in the world. That will remain our first and foremost—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Wright is on two warnings.

The Hon. D.C. VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: —priority for the entire rest of the term of this government without any doubt whatsoever, and if those opposite actually cared more about the topic they would ask more questions in parliament about the topic.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: We want another question time and you won't give it to us.

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

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: This guy is just a joke. It's ridiculous.

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

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey, you have already departed once.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for West Torrens has also departed once. I can choose to extend question time once more and if there are continuing interjections we will.