Question Time

GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:32): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Small Business a question about the government's massive advertising campaign in relation to buying locally.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I welcome members back and I look forward to asking the minister the first of the last 54 questions before he retires. I was at an afternoon tea party—

The PRESIDENT: The honourable member will refrain from opinion.

The Hon. R.P. Wortley: It was a booze-up.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The Hon. Russell Wortley said it was a booze-up. He may have been drinking, but I certainly was not.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: The Hon. Russell Wortley is a bit loose with his accusations about things like that.

The PRESIDENT: I was actually speaking about your comment aimed at the minister, who I am sure has no intention of retiring.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I thought the Hon. Russell Wortley was speaking about the afternoon tea, which was a very important one, hosted by the Prime Minister. He may have been drinking—the Hon. Russell Wortley—but I certainly was not.

At that particular afternoon tea to celebrate Australia Day, some six days before Australia Day, the Premier, obviously, was invited to the lectern to introduce the Prime Minister. In his speech he indicated that the government was about to launch a massive advertising campaign to encourage South Australians to buy locally, shop locally and support South Australian businesses, small and large.

The opposition has been advised that contracts for the legal work for a number of public/private partnerships, meaning the desal plant, the prisons, the super schools and the Marjorie Jackson-Nelson hospital—to put together the legal framework for these public/private partnerships—have been let to Victorian legal firms. In fact, the opposition has been advised that expressions of interest were sought only from interstate firms. It clearly seems to be a case of: 'Do as we say', not, 'Do as we do.' It is also—

The PRESIDENT: The honourable member should refrain from opinion in his question.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you, Mr President, for your advice. We have also been advised that in most cases the interstate firms charge what is known as East Coast rates, which are some 20 to 30 per cent up on what is provided here in South Australia. So, not only are South Australian firms missing out on the work and South Australian jobs are at risk but South Australian taxpayers are having to pay East Coast premiums for this work to be done. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why has the government excluded our important and very capable legal firms from this important work?

2. In line with the massive advertising campaign that the Premier has announced is being launched by the government, will the government purchase all its services and goods from South Australian-based firms?

The PRESIDENT: The minister will disregard the opinion in the questions.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:36): There will not be much left to answer then, Mr President. I am not responsible for the letting of those contracts, so I will pass the questions on to the relevant minister to find out whether the facts, as put by the honourable member, are correct and bring back an answer.