Letter to Renters

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs. Is the minister aware of any letter sent to renters across South Australia dated February 2024 and, if so, what, if anything, was the cost to South Australian taxpayers to produce and send the letter? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TEAGUE: A letter from the Premier dated February 2024 with the subject line 'We're making renting fairer' has been received by thousands of renters across South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier has the call.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:33): I am happy to answer the shadow minister's questions and I am happy to advise the house, just as we have advised quite a number of renters throughout the state, that the state government, as the shadow minister will be well aware, is proud of the fact that we were able to get legislative changes in this place, led by the minister, to advance the concerns of renters and materialise them in substantial change to give renters more rights and more considerations in what is a very difficult market for them as things currently stand.

So we have written to renters throughout state. I wrote to renters throughout the state advising them of the changes and their additional rights as a result of that successful policy endeavour led by the government. The cost of that letter was the cost of the printing of the letter and the postage of the letter, so rather modest, particularly given the size and the nature of the changes—and we made them.

I am aware of the fact, and I was advised of the fact earlier today, that the opposition are seeking to raise their concerns about the Premier writing a letter to renters simply advising them of their new rights, and that's fine. I wondered, though, whether or not the opposition, when they raised their concerns in the media, advised those outlets about other letters that had been written and paid for by taxpayers, because the government is aware of a letter from none other than the Leader of the Opposition, paid for by the taxpayers of South Australia, regarding changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. I think the Leader of the Opposition talks about 'Labor's war on landlords'—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —paid for by taxpayers in a highly partisan letter, which is very different in tone from the letter that I wrote. 'I urge you to voice your thoughts and concerns about these impending changes', under the title of 'Labor's war on landlords'. Now, I read the Leader of the Opposition's advocacy against renters having more considerations and more rights and I thought, 'Well, somewhere down here there will be a PS or a little asterisk where the Leader of the Opposition will actively and proactively disclose whatever interests he might have opposing—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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

The SPEAKER: Members to my left and right, the member for Morialta must be heard under 134—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The Premier is now going well beyond the cost of the letter that he sent to people who are renting in South Australia as the Premier.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Hartley is warned! We have taken in a point of order; it's necessary to dispose of it. I will listen carefully. As, of course, Speakers before me have ruled, there is a degree of latitude that is extended to ministers, including the Premier. Some latitude is also extended to the Leader of the Opposition. You know my enthusiasm for a quote from Speaker Eastick, but of course I could also turn to Speaker Oswald or Speaker Trainer, or many others. In any case, the precedent is clear. I will listen carefully; some context is permissible.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: On this side of the house we actively encourage people to invest in property. We believe in the power of property investment. There is absolutely nothing wrong with South Australians aspiring to acquire a piece of property and then rent it out. In fact, they've got an important role to play within the marketplace, but we equally believe that renters have rights. We equally believe that there should be a balance that takes into consideration the legitimate concerns that renters have in a very, very tight rental market, which is why we made these changes, which is why we want to make sure that renters are advised of these changes.

We are grateful for the retail industry who have supported the changes that we have made. It is very, very disappointing that the Leader of the Opposition has opposed those changes, as he has made clear in his correspondence to people throughout the state, but we've got the balance right and people deserve to know about it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Heysen, unless your question is a supplementary, I am turning to the member for Waite. Is it a supplementary?

Mr TEAGUE: It's the same topic; it's not strictly a supplementary.

The SPEAKER: Well, that's not the answer I was after. You had your chance. Member for Waite.