South Australian Housing Authority

Ms PRATT (Frome) (14:50): Supplementary: on 3 June, it was released under FOI that the South Australian Housing Authority did refuse to send out the political newsletter—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There's a point of order.

Ms PRATT: —that was then distributed—

The SPEAKER: Member for Frome, I will hear the point of order. I apologise to the member for Morialta: earlier, I didn't hear him appealing to me. There was a bit of a clamour in the chamber. It was my mistake on the point of order. A point of order from the member for West Torrens.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The member for Frome is introducing a detailed explanation without seeking the leave of the house, sir. Perhaps she should seek the leave of the house before her question, otherwise it's full of argument.

The SPEAKER: I will take an alternative approach. I will allow the member for Frome to rephrase the question.

Ms PRATT: Thank you, Mr Speaker, I appreciate your indulgence. My question is to the Minister for Human Services. When did the minister's office become aware that the South Australian Housing Authority refused to send the political newsletter? With your leave, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms PRATT: Emails released under FOI revealed that the South Australian Housing Authority staff refused to send out the political newsletter that was then distributed to all DHS staff.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (14:51): I think you have just asked and answered. The good people of SAHA, who also are very pleased that we have a new government in town that's actually listening to them or working with them, contacted, I understand, our office on reading the newsletter and realising that there was political content in there. I understand that that potentially was the flag, the very first alert, that somebody human with a pulse, a real person, had made a real human error and feels terrible about it. You can keep going on and on about it—and you will—but you are wasting your time. They made a terrible mistake. They feel awful, and continuing to prosecute the error of one person is not going to get you anywhere.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. N.F. COOK: Continue on. Gee, there are a lot of men over there, aren't there? A cacophony of blokes. I have already explained that one person feels terrible. I understand that the response from SAHA, when that incorrect newsletter was sent, was, 'This has political undertones' or something to that effect, and that's when the message went to DHS. DHS issued the apology for us, and—

Mrs Hurn: Junior staffer.

The Hon. N.F. COOK: —end of story.

The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert!