Ministerial Code of Conduct

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is for the Minister for Human Services. Did the minister breach section 6 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct by sending on 3 June an email to all her departmental staff? With your leave, and that of the house, sir, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: On 3 June 2022, the minister sent an email to all departmental staff through the internal Department of Human Services email system, which thanked everyone who voted for her and everyone across the state who agreed that a change of government was needed for our community; stated that 'the landslide of support that carried the Malinauskas Labor team to a thumping victory on 19 March sent a clear message: South Australians are ready for a government that cares'; and—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: —referred to 'the resounding defeat of the Morrison Liberal government' and advised that she was 'over the moon that we will have the chance to work alongside the Albanese Labor government'.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:21): Thank you very much for inserting the facts into Hansard. Actually, what has happened in that particular case, and you would be aware, is that that version was the version that was supposed to be sent to my electorate by me.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Within a couple of hours, prior to any complaint being received, it was revealed to me—

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

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

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —by the staff member that that had been done—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —in a mistake, and the correct one has since been sent out, acknowledging the error. That's the full story.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: You sent the acknowledgement of error.

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

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: Did you send that?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I didn't say that.

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call. The minister will not respond to interjections.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I didn't say that. Don't goofy-face me. I didn't say that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: The error was acknowledged.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner: You were bragging about it a minute ago.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta is warned. The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Dear me.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome! The minister has the call.

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Florey!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: In error, one of my staff—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta is on one warning.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —gave the wrong version, which was sent out to the departmental staff. I'm kind of glad they got my thoughts, anyway, that I have sent to my electorate. I have sent those. I have sent that newsletter, talking about—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Frome is warned. The member for Morialta is on one warning.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —how awful you are and how fabulous we are, to my electorate. That was an error. These things do happen. We have acknowledged that.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: It was a very junior staff person, and I feel very sorry for them.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta is warned for a second time.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: They were mortified, but because we are decent people on this side of the house we do not lambaste them for that: we help them.

The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: You brought it up. Trust me, they won't be listening to this rubbish. This group of people work very, very hard, and it was an error to send out that version. We have had the correct version—

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —now sent out, as you would be well aware—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Finniss! Member for Unley!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —and the error has been acknowledged.

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. N.F. COOK: The first version of the newsletter, which was for my electorate, contained many comments about how grateful we are—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —about how we will be able to be much kinder and fairer and provide increased concessions, how we are going to review concessions, the $180 million plus we are investing in housing and homelessness, how we are reinstating services to Hutt St, to Vinnies and to Catherine House, and how we are building 400 new homes—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —50 of them to be part of a group site, which will have supported care—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —which we are funding, so that those people can maintain their tenancy. We are going to make sure that 150 homes are being built in the regions because regions matter. We are going to also upgrade 300 of the homes that have been left vacant, many of them the whole time the Liberals were in government had nothing done to them, and make sure that is online so that we've got at least 700 new, shiny, upgraded options for housing for people who need it.