House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Sam Smith Concert Sam Smith Concert The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition Sam Smith Concert The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Tourism. Can the minister detail whether any MPs, ministerial advisers or public servants attended the Sam Smith concert and, if so, who did, and why? Mr Whetstone interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is on two warnings. The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:59): As Minister for Tourism, I was invited to the concert but I had commitments in the Riverland and the river region— Mr Patterson interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is warned for a second time. The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: I was spending time talking to people in the river regions about our commitment to building back tourism. I said publicly, at the time, that I was represented by Minister Michaels, and she attended in that capacity. We have a very connected local member for Mawson— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —who I think— The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order, member for Mawson! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —was there as a roadie helping alongside— Mr Cowdrey interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Colton! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —because he is a very helpful person and he is always there— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The minister has the call. Mr Cowdrey interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Colton is warned for a third time. The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: You will find no other member in this house who advertises and supports his electorate more than the member for Mawson. The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is warned. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The exchange between— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members to my left are succeeding only in running the clock down. It is their own question time. Interjections will cease. Minister. The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. This promotional opportunity was something we bid for. As I say again, should we not have bid for this— Mr Telfer interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Flinders! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —Sam Smith would have done this promotional concert announcing their Australian tour and their new album in front of the Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Sydney Opera House. I know, and the Malinauskas Labor government knows, that we must build back this industry—and we have been focused on it. We have not been focused on it just since we got into government— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —but before. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, there is a point of order from the member for Morialta, but before I hear the member for Morialta I will warn the member for Hartley for the third and final time. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 98: the question was direct, 'Which MPs, public servants or ministerial advisers were invited or went to the concert?' The minister has named herself and since then gone nowhere near the question. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Mawson is warned for a final time. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Sorry, I apologise, sir: she named herself as represented by Minister Michaels. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Yes, indeed. The minister, having this standing order in mind, might care to chart a line closer to the question. Mr Tarzia interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Hartley! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: I would never like to disagree with you, Mr Speaker, but I did mention that Minister Michaels was in attendance and that the local member was there, as he publicly told us; he told us he was there. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Yes, he has informed the house. The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: There were some members of the SATC there as well. Can we just focus on the failed opposition in tourism? Mrs Hurn interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: I spend a lot of time talking to our tourism operators and our tourism stakeholders, and they felt let down. They felt ignored. When we came out with our election commitment for $45 million for additional marketing and $40 million for major events, it was welcomed. There was a complete absence of policies on the other side. We have doubled down on this, and what have we earned since this time? We won the AFL Gather Round, we won LIV Golf, and we had— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON House of Assembly Ramsay Minister for Tourism Minister for Multicultural Affairs The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON: —the best women cyclists here than we have ever had before. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated. Members to my right will cease interjecting, and members to my left. Member for Hartley! The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Standing order 98, sir; she is continuing in the manner you have told her not to. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: It may be that the minister has concluded her answer or is very close to concluding. The minister has concluded her answer and it is therefore not necessary for me to rule. However, I'm keeping a very close eye on the member for Hartley. Member for Morialta.