QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:47): I seek leave to make an explanation before directing a question to the Leader of the Government on answers to questions in relation to Mr Bruce Carter, Mr Ian Kowalick and Monsignor Cappo.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Over 12 months ago (2 April 2008), I put on notice a series of questions relating to Mr Bruce Carter, Mr Ian Kowalick and Monsignor Cappo in relation to payments to those gentlemen for work undertaken on behalf of various ministers, government departments and agencies. For example, in relation to Mr Carter, the question read as follows:

For all departments, agencies, boards and authorities reporting to the minister and for each financial year since and including 2002-03, what were the total payments made to Mr Bruce Carter or any company, firm or entity in which Mr Carter has a financial interest in the following categories: (a) salary, allowance, sitting fee or other similar payment; (b) travel, accommodation, entertainment expense; and (c) any other payment?

In relation to Mr Carter, I hasten to say that I make no specific criticism of Mr Carter's competence in his specific areas of expertise. Mr Bruce Carter, from the public record, has held a number of positions and undertaken a number of tasks. He has been the chair of the WorkCover Board and he is currently chair of and has previously been a member of the Economic Development Board. He has been (I am not sure whether he still is) a member of the South Australian Motor Sport Board and the deputy of that particular board, and he has recently been appointed the chair of the Renewable Energy Board. He has also been employed as a consultant by the government to undertake the early work on the National Wine Centre. He was also employed by the government to undertake consultancy work in relation to the Basketball Association of South Australia and as a consultant to look at TransAdelaide's performance and corporate governance arrangements. For a long time now he has had an ongoing role as a consultant working with the government on the BHP Billiton or Olympic Dam projects. Those are the only projects of which I am aware publicly; there may well be others.

There is considerable public interest in terms of how much the taxpayers have paid Mr Carter and his companies over a period of time in relation to these particular tasks and there is considerable interest in the answers to the questions which, as I said, have been on notice for some 12 months. My questions to the Leader of the Government are:

1. Why is it that he, Mr Rann and other government ministers have for 12 months refused to answer these questions?

2. Does the minister believe that there is no public interest at all in terms of how much of taxpayers' money has been expended to Mr Carter and his companies and interests in relation to these particular tasks?

3. Is the minister prepared to indicate whether he will provide an answer to these questions prior to the election in March next year?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:51): In relation to Mr Carter, whom the Hon. Rob Lucas has specifically raised in his questions, I can say that the value of the work that he contributes to the government is, I am sure, vastly more valuable than what he is paid. Mr Carter is a very successful businessman, and I am sure that the amount of work that he does for the government and, therefore, for the people of this state is probably, as I said, of much greater value than any remuneration. I am sure that he would not be doing it if money was his only motivation.

Clearly, because Mr Carter has carried out a range of functions with different agencies, to correlate all that information will take some time. I will refer the questions to the appropriate ministers and seek answers for the honourable member.