MAB Corporation

Mr TELFER (Flinders) (14:36): My question is to the Minister for Planning. Minister, when will the agreement with MAB Corporation be executed and when will construction commence?

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Planning) (14:37): That's a matter for Renewal and MAB to conclude their negotiations and for it to go to the board, so I am not going to put a time line around that because it's up to them. I find the opposition's interest in this fascinating. You have gone from a situation where you announced this three weeks before the caretaker provision, with no consultation with the then opposition, you refused to release any of the criteria or weightings, you don't have any transparency over it. Even your own—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: I am answering the question and you don't want to hear it.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated, there is a point of order—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Florey is warned. The member for Morialta wishes to raise a point of order under 134. I will hear the point of order from the member for Morialta.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: It was actually a very straightforward question seeking some facts, and the member is explicitly prohibited from debating the broader issue by standing order 98. He is new here. He is very arrogant in his approach, and it would help the parliament for you to give him some instruction, sir.

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, I observe that it is not necessary to reflect on other members in the course of raising a point of order except to draw the Chair's attention to a point of order. There is some merit in what the member for Morialta says. The answer may be on the cusp of becoming argumentative. I would draw the minister's attention to the question.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: Well, Speaker, I don't deliberately set out to be argumentative but the whole nature of the opposition's questions asks me to anticipate what MAB Corporation and Renewal SA will do in the conduct of their negotiations. I have informed the house in my ministerial statement that they remain entirely on track and as envisaged when MAB were announced as the preferred proponent. I think it's perfectly reasonable for me to reflect on their conduct. It's not just me; interestingly enough, a report by long-time Liberals Christopher Moriarty and John Rowley—this is what they said in their report—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: You don't want to hear it?

The SPEAKER: Order! The Treasurer is called to order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, I anticipate that the member wishes to raise standing order 98.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Sir, you are wise.

The SPEAKER: Minister, I draw your attention to the question. The minister is—

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: I refer the opposition to my ministerial statement and to my answer.

The SPEAKER: Very well.