Sports Funding

Mr TARZIA (Hartley) (14:34): My question is to the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing. What role did the minister's office have in determining the successful recipients of local sporting club facility grants that totalled $97.9 million, according to the budget papers, and were any other ministerial officers involved in the selection process?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:35): I thank the member for Hartley for his question because, of course, delivering on election commitments is a priority.

Mr Tarzia: Why don't you let the minister say it?

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

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We went to the election with a comprehensive policy. It was routinely scrutinised during the course of the election campaign, which is—

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on one warning.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —as you would reasonably expect. That is the function of our adversarial—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned for a second time.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —democratic process. What we did in opposition is we actively consulted and engaged with communities throughout the state. On the back of that exercise, we made a whole suite of very specific commitments. We had bold policies but also very specific commitments that we made to individual communities. I am really proud of the fact that, in the budget that was handed down only a short time ago, we are delivering on each and every one of those commitments.

So it doesn't matter if it was a small commitment to a small club in a community in regional South Australia or whether it was a big commitment to another club in another part of our state—each and every one of them is being honoured. Part of our determination to offer these commitments is born out of the experience—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned for a second time.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —of what we see happen when commitments aren't honoured. Something that we are really keen on as a government is to make sure we honour those commitments, even to those ones that didn't elect a Labor MP. For instance, there are commitments in the member for Black's electorate which presumably he's very keen on. Indeed, the member for Hartley I assume is supportive of the $320,000 that has been committed to the Hectorville Hounds.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Yes, yes! While presumably the member for Hartley didn't vote Labor, while admittedly a majority of the electors within the seat of Hartley didn't vote Labor, the Hectorville Hounds are going to be looked after nonetheless. Similarly, $2½ million is committed to the Cove Sports and Community Club along with $200,000 to the tennis courts in Kingston Park.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, there's a point of order which I will hear under 134.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr TARZIA: Sir, this is now debate—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Human Services is called to order.

Mr TARZIA: —98.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I will hear the member for Hartley.

Mr TARZIA: With all respect, sir, this is now debate, standing order 98.

The SPEAKER: I am listening carefully.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell: You can't handle the truth.

The SPEAKER: Member for Mawson! Perhaps the member for Mawson has seen a little too much of Tom Cruise recently. In any event, I am listening carefully. The question does invite a wide answer.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The honourable member's question went specifically to commitments made in respect of sporting clubs, amongst other investments, that we committed to in the lead-up to the election. The shadow minister's question I believe goes to this question of process. There is no more sacred process than the election process, the democratic process. We made very clear commitments. Those commitments have been honoured in the budget. The Treasurer, along with the Premier's Delivery Unit, has been working diligently to make sure that each and every one of those commitments that was made is being delivered upon. Those election commitments—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

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

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —are spread out throughout the entirety of the state. I might take this last little moment to reflect on one regional community that has been very much the beneficiary of that process, the democratic process and the commitments that we made in the lead-up to the election. Of course, that's the community in Mount Gambier, where the cabinet had the great pleasure of being with the member for Mount Gambier last week, with—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —over $100 million worth of commitments to that community. That's something we are delivering upon, and that has been incredibly well received. We will continue to roll out our election commitments. The process matters, but people voted, and we are going to honour their support of our government accordingly.