Finizio, Dr A.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (15:17): It is interesting to understand the internal workings of the Liberal Party after seeing the spirited defence by the bravest lawyer in South Australia who cannot make any of these accusations outside of parliament—such a brave, brave counsel for the prosecution—but I have been making all of my statements about Ms Finizio outside of the parliament, and I will continue to do so.

I do note that, today, Ms Finizio admitted to having signed a statutory declaration and claiming that she had actually not—

Mr Cowdrey: You just said you wouldn't do this.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I am saying this outside as well.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Unlike the bravest lawyer in South Australia, the member for Heysen, who hides in parliament like a coward. The statutory declaration Ms Finizio has now confirmed that she signed stipulates that she has 'never been involved either as a shareholder or a director in a company that is or was at any time (a) under administration, (b) in receivership, (c) under investigation by [ASIC] or (d) in the process of being wound up'.

In an interview this morning on radio, David Bevan asked Ms Finizio and got out of her, reluctantly, that she had admitted to actually signing this statutory declaration. We know it is a document that she signed because Mr Bevan quoted it to her. He held it up to her to read, and she said, 'Yes, I've signed it.' I will give you the quotes, and this is from Bevan:

Bevan: Did you tell the Liberal Party when you were signing your declaration to become their candidate for Dunstan that you had applied for a job with the Labor Party?

This was Finizio's response:

Finizio: David, you know that process is confidential—

which is code for 'No, I didn't tell them I wanted to work for the Labor Party to bring down the Marshall government.' It is the sort of thing you might want to say in a preselection, one of those things you want to find out. Then he goes on and says:

Bevan: I've got the document in front of me that says 'I have never been involved either as a shareholder or a director in a company that was at anytime under administration or receivership.' Now you had to sign that document.

Finizio: David, once again this is an internal confidential process that the party does.

Bevan: I'm just asking you, did you sign the document?

Finizio: You know that I've signed the documents, this is an internal confidential party process…there's an internal party process and I've already answered the question.

Bevan: And you've answered that you have signed the document that says that.

Finizio: I've signed the document that's required of me for that process.

Bevan: Which included this?

Finizio: Yes it did.

Statutory declarations in South Australia are dealt with under the Oaths Act, which stipulates that:

Any person who wilfully makes any declaration…knowing that declaration to be untrue in any material particular, shall be guilty of an offence, and shall be liable, upon conviction thereof, to be imprisoned for any term not exceeding four years.

Finizio has signed a statutory declaration saying that she has not been a director in a company that at any time has been in administration. It is not true: she has been. She has signed a stat dec, and the Liberal Party are keeping this statutory declaration secret. Whatever happens on Saturday does not change the fact that Finizio has signed this statutory declaration. This will not be over on Saturday. If Ms Finizio is elected, she could be almost immediately again ineligible to sit in parliament, causing another by-election. Given the consequences of making a false statement, it is open to South Australia Police to investigate this matter, of course unless the Liberal Party provide a statutory declaration that she has signed that is different from the one that has been leaked to the government.

Mr Cowdrey: How many stat decs did you falsify with your speeding fines?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Sir, I ask that the member for Colton withdraw and apologise immediately.

The SPEAKER: Member for Colton, you are aware it is a subjective standard, and I counsel you to withdraw and apologise. However, you are also out of your place. You will need to return to your seat first before addressing the chamber.

Mr COWDREY: Sir, it was a question, but I withdraw.

The SPEAKER: And apologise. I would strongly counsel you to. That has been the custom. I am giving the member the best advice I possibly can.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We are going to give the member the opportunity to follow the custom.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Florey!

Mr COWDREY: I apologise for asking a simple question of the member.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Florey is warned. Member for Chaffey!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister, be seated. Member for Florey, you will depart—10 minutes. Member for Chaffey, you are not far behind.

The honourable member for Florey having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: It is pretty clear that Ms Finizio was a director in a company that went into administration. Businesses go into administration. It is part of the entrepreneurial process that some businesses fail. What we are concerned about here is that it was not declared, and signing this statutory declaration raises further questions. I would encourage the Liberal Party, if they are the party of small business, to release this statutory declaration to clear it all up.

Of course, they will not. They will do everything they can to keep it hidden. I have been told by some conservative members of the Liberal Party that there is a lock and key around this statutory declaration and it will not be released. I would urge them to think about the damage that they are doing to other entrepreneurs who might wish to one day run for parliament because the damage that they have done in the way they have treated this matter has really hurt Ms Finizio, her campaign and the integrity of the Liberal Party.