House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Canberra Press Gallery Midwinter Ball Canberra Press Gallery Midwinter Ball Mr ODENWALDER House of Assembly Elizabeth Canberra Press Gallery Midwinter Ball Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (14:08): My question is to the Manager of Government Business. Can the minister advise the house if any other government members attended the Midwinter Ball in Canberra yesterday? The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly West Torrens Canberra Press Gallery Midwinter Ball The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:08): I can report to the house that only one member of the government attended the Midwinter Ball yesterday and that was the Premier, which was appropriate. The leader of the government, the leader of our state, went and met with leaders of industry, the Prime Minister, the cabinet, the Leader of the Opposition, crossbenchers, members of the Senate—the leaders of our country. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It makes me wonder about— Mr Cowdrey interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, shadow treasurer! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —the thought process that goes through the opposition's mind when they ask these questions, the strategic thought process that goes through— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Heysen! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —the tactics of this— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on three warnings. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —given that— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Elizabeth is called to order. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated. I will hear a point of order from the member for Morialta under 134. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 98 goes to debate. When the minister says words like, 'It makes me wonder about the tactics that go through the opposition's mind,' and goes on, there is no possibility that these are matters relevant— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Florey! The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: —to his portfolio, his duties to the house or, indeed, the question he is debating. He is debating a question which was actually quite narrow, and he is talking about something that is irrelevant and debate in any case. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I will listen carefully. The minister has the call. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It makes me wonder if they do actually think about the questions they are going to ask—and the media—given that the member for Dunstan is not here. One Premier not in parliament, appalling. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Another Premier not here, that's okay. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You're a genius— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister— The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —and it reminds me— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Chaffey! Member for Morialta, please be seated for just a moment. I will hear from you under 134. Mr Whetstone interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on three warnings. He continues to interject. The member for Chaffey will leave the chamber under 137A for half an hour. The honourable member for Chaffey having withdrawn from the chamber: Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier is called to order. The Minister for Education is called to order. Member for Badcoe! Members on both sides will be departing today. There is a fresh energy and vigour following the winter break. Member for Morialta. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Thank you, sir. He's banged to rights: it's straight forward unparliamentary to reflect on a member's presence. As it happens, the member for Dunstan is using one of the many pairs sought and granted by members of the government today. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! It is a substantial point of order. It raises a concern that I myself have had, and that is that the nature of the debate so far in question time, only a few moments in, does tend to reflect on the presence or otherwise of members in the house. There was some discussion in relation to this point earlier in the day. The member for Heysen put an oblique point that, of course, the presence or otherwise of the Premier in the state or otherwise is a matter of substantial interest to the opposition. I see that. I also see standing order 127 that prevents digression or personal reflection on members. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I apologise. I won't be mentioning the member for Dunstan's absence in the parliament again. I don't know why the Leader of the Opposition wasn't invited to the Midwinter Ball. I don't know why there is potentially another tantrum going on about not being invited to the Midwinter Ball. I don't know why the Leader of the Opposition, or any of the— Mrs Hurn interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert knows better. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —shadow ministers didn't invite the Leader of the Opposition to the Midwinter Ball. Perhaps it's because they know what we know what they all know—that this temporary Leader of the Opposition isn't a long-term operative. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Take it easy! The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Take it easy. Don't get angry. Calm down. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I am reminded of scripture, Matthew 7:5: 'You hypocrite, first remove the beam out of your own eye and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's.' Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! I will hear the member for Morialta under 134. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: I reiterate my earlier point of order. I think that we're done now. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I hear the member for Morialta. I have in mind standing order 127. I uphold the point of order. I am going to turn briefly to the minister and bring the minister to the question. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I never knew that scripture would offend members opposite, but there we go. I have to say— Mr Pederick interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —that I think the Premier did us a great service yesterday fighting for South Australia, being there, making sure that South Australia— Mrs Hurn interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is warned. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —is at the centre of the discussions of our nation. I think it really is becoming a little bit embarrassing— The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta! The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —about the Leader of the Opposition continually— Mrs Hurn interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is warned for a second time. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —having these little—what's the term I'm looking for when you're not invited to something? Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 127. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Perhaps it is. I will hear the term. The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS House of Assembly The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I don't know what their tactic is. I am sure there is something there deeper in the draughts game that the Leader of the Opposition is playing but, quite frankly, it is unbecoming.