House of Assembly Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1) 55 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time South Australian Museum South Australian Museum The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition South Australian Museum The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:52): Did the Premier, his department or his minister approve the restructure and provide support for its delivery to the Museum? With your leave, and that of the house, I will explain, sir. Leave granted. The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER House of Assembly Morialta Deputy Leader of the Opposition The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The Museum Board's September minutes released under FOI identify that the Museum's briefings to the minister and DPC would in fact not only seek the provision of a dedicated and experienced change management resource but would also seek approval for the proposed restructure. It is to be noted also that under the South Australian Museum Act clause 14 identifies: (1)	The Board's staff consists of Public Service employees assigned to assist the Board. (2)	The Board may, under an arrangement…[with] the Minister administering an administrative unit of the Public Service, make use of the services or staff of that administrative unit. In this case it is under the employ of DPC. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:53): I think the government's position is clear. We have intervened to pause the restructure. I think it's pretty clear that we have intervened to stop the restructure. I don't know how you could characterise that as any form of approval. I will tell you, Mr Speaker— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I will tell you what this government didn't approve: the savage cuts bestowed by the former government on the Museum. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta, you were heard in silence. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We know the former government's record and now they're feigning an interest in the future of the Museum when they took a flamethrower to its budget. The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The record is clear: they have been called out— The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Morialta! You're on a warning, member for Morialta. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Now, of course, we are fortunate that a government is showing greater interest— The Hon. J.A.W. Gardner interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: It's your second warning, member for Morialta. The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS House of Assembly Croydon Premier The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The government is now showing a greater interest in the pursuit and the future of the Museum than those opposite ever pursued during their time in government. We won't be taking any lessons from those opposite. Their feigned petition, standing out the front—'Save the Museum that we took a flamethrower to', that's what their petition should read like. We will engage as a government with those people in the community who have a legitimate interest in the Museum, those people who have donated their funds, dedicated their labour, volunteered so assiduously. We will engage with those people who are truly interested in the Museum's future and then make sure we get on with the task with a thoughtful pursuit into the future. I am grateful for the minister's advocacy and her engagement in this process. We will make sure that we get a good outcome for the people of our state when it comes to the future of the Museum.