Minister for Human Services

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:28): My question is again to the Minister for Human Services because we are enjoying this so much. Will the minister now write to the more than 2,600 employees in the Department of Human Services to apologise for attempting to politically influence them and threatening the impartiality required by their code of ethics?

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:29): I could keep going on for four minutes about how I talk to them live—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I do live chats. I speak with them regularly. I get in touch with them through various means.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Chaffey!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I certainly will raise it in my next live cross open discussion with them.

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: I will ensure that nobody is unduly influenced—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert!

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —except by the pure decency of the policies that we announce, that we deliver and that sit with the decency of the staff in Human Services—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister, please be seated.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: The minister was asked—

The SPEAKER: Order! I will hear the point of order under 134. The member for Unley on a point of order.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: The minister was asked whether she would apologise, and she is refusing to answer the question.

The SPEAKER: I assume that the point of order is 98, substance, but I am not sure necessarily that that is the point of order. In any case, I will listen closely.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: As I said, I will let the delivery of our policies influence the department staff, as they wish. From what I am hearing from the department staff, they needed little influence to vote Labor—little influence—because they were left with a suite of terrible policies and underdelivery under the last government. I will absolutely raise it and discuss it with the staff at my very next opportunity.