State Records

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Trade and Investment. Has the minister's office and department at all times undertaken appropriate preservation and management of official records in the conduct of their business under the State Records Act 1997? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Mr TEAGUE: An email dated 19 September 2023 from the executive director of Invest SA and the Department for Trade and Investment to a ministerial liaison officer in the minister's office states, and I quote, 'James mentions a briefing pack below—can you share that?' The minister's office responded on the same day, and I quote, 'I only have an A3 hard copy I will drop off this afternoon.' In a release of documents—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr TEAGUE: —by the Department for Trade and Investment on 28 February 2024—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Heysen must be heard.

Mr TEAGUE: In a release of documents by the Department for Trade and Investment on 28 February 2024, the A3 briefing pack was not identified in the document schedule associated with the FOI release.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for West Torrens! The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION (Taylor—Minister for Trade and Investment, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Planning) (14:34): The answer to the opposition member's question is yes, we have always met our obligations under the State Records Act. The second part of his question is easily answered. As I understand it and I am advised, the member for Unley's freedom of information request, which was sent to the department and not to my ministerial office—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: Do you want the answer or not? The answer is very simple.

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister, the house does not permit quarrels.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Morialta is on a final warning. The minister has the call.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: The member for Unley's FOI request, as I am advised, used the phrase 'all electronically searchable documents'.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: I don't want to give you any advice, but far from giving you any advice—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister!

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: I didn't administer the FOI.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, I am on my feet. Members to my left and right, there is a wall of noise. Despite the directional microphones, it is not possible for the Chair to hear the minister's answer, therefore it follows that it may be difficult for Hansard, therefore it follows that I must intervene.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The house will come to order.

The Hon. N.D. CHAMPION: As I understand it, that phrase was used. The department very diligently followed all of the protocols under the FOI Act and fronted up with all of the relevant documents.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Treasurer! Member for Mawson!