Question Time

Union Advertising

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier intend to take action to stop CFMEU advertising on trams? If not, does this send a message to domestic violence survivors and local construction businesses? Sir, with your leave, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It has been reported this week that the CFMEU has taken out advertising on government-owned trams with an estimated cost of upwards of $50,000.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:03): It's fair to say that this government's view is that when trains and trams come back into public hands there will be no political advertising—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hartley is warned. The minister has the call.

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is called to order. The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: This is a matter for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. However—

Members interjecting:

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

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is now engaging in stunts and will leave the chamber under 137A for the remainder of question time.

The honourable member for Hartley having withdrawn from the chamber:

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: This is a matter for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport; however, the government does not believe that controversial advertising of this nature belongs on public transport. The advertising appears on Adelaide Metro trams and external advertising on department-owned assets is managed by a third-party agency, which is—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Unley! The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: As part of this contract, advertising of this nature should have been brought to the department's attention for review. The requirement for the advertising agency did not occur in this instance, and the department is working with the third-party agency to ensure it has the opportunity to review advertisements in the future consistent with that contract. The department has advised that it does not intend to remove the advertisement at this time. I can inform the house that when the operation of our trams and trains is brought back into public hands—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —there will be no political advertising on our trams and trains.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The question has been asked; the minister is answering.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We do not believe that political advertising belongs on government infrastructure—

Mr Cowdrey: Well, remove it.

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —so we will ensure when our trains and trams are brought into public hands that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Colton is warned. Order, member for Flinders! The member for Flinders is warned. The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: When the trams and trains are brought into public hands, the government will take a much more proactive role in the management of advertising on our public transport infrastructure—indeed, all government infrastructure.

Mr Cowdrey: Is this honestly your excuse?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The CFMEU entered into a contract with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. They bought the ad. The ad is being advertised. The ad would not have been approved by the department if it had been made aware of it by the third-party ad agency. That did not occur. The ad will run its course and no other political advertising would be allowed on our public transport infrastructure. These are the rules the South Australian government has put in place. These are the rules that the government will impose and make sure that—

Mr Pederick: Do it now.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hammond! The minister has the call.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: We will make sure that the department has the appropriate instruction from the government to make sure that these types of adverts in future do not occur.