CFMEU

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): My question is to the Premier. When did the Premier receive written advice from the police commissioner in relation to the investigation into alleged criminal activities within the CFMEU in South Australia? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: On 4 September, the police commissioner told ABC radio, 'We provided written advice to the Premier, relating to the presence or otherwise of organised crime within the CFMEU in South Australia.'

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:11): Thank you—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left, the Premier will be heard in silence.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. As the Leader of the Opposition referred to in his remarks, as soon as news started to emerge of the allegations against the CFMEU, while I was on leave, I took the opportunity to call the police commissioner and ask him to make some inquiries into whether or not the CFMEU's conduct in South Australia had any criminal element to it, or whether there had been any investigations or examination of that.

I was very grateful that I received—I don't have a copy of it with me—a piece of advice from the police commissioner on the morning of his radio interview, whenever that was. He gave a radio interview, and my office received a piece of advice from the police commissioner sometime after that, making clear that the work that South Australia Police had undertaken following the phone call that I had had with Commissioner Stevens, which I am grateful for, indicated that they weren't able to establish any criminal activity. SAPOL, as ever, always remains vigilant, but they weren't able to establish any reportable criminal activity. That was the advice that we received, and I was grateful for the work of South Australia Police and their communication of that to me.