Government Advertising

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (15:05): My question again is to the Premier. Does the Premier know the average market salary for an advertising executive in South Australia, and how does it compare with the advertised salary of the Premier's new executive director of government advertising?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:05): It is fair to say that that is not a figure that I have off the top of my mind. I do not know the average salary of people who run—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: Did you sign off on it?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I welcome the member for Unley's interjections. We are going to miss them. I will get to your interjection in a second.

The SPEAKER: Member for Unley, you are on your final warning.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I do not have that figure of what the market pays for advertising executives in the state of South Australia. With respect to the member for Unley's interjection, which I always welcome, the member for Unley, being a former minister, presumably has a degree of consciousness that the Premier of the state or an individual minister does not employ bureaucrats. That is done by the CEO of a department.

They are decisions that are made by the CEO of a department. I have complete confidence in the current CEO of DPC. I might add that at another point in time I will express my gratitude to the CEO of DPC for his extraordinary service to the government and the people of South Australia. I have complete confidence in the current CEO and I have complete confidence in the incoming CEO, Mr Rick Persse.