Question Time

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question about housing affordability.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Numerous complaints have been made to the Liberal opposition over the past few years about an ongoing culture of bullying and intimidation by senior ALP members. The ALP conducts a very aggressive and assertive fundraising campaign, through its fundraising arm, Progressive Business SA. A significant number of comments have been made by members in this place on issues relating to donations to Progressive Business SA and success fees paid to lobbyists for the introduction and successful completion of projects.

Recently, I was provided with information by people connected to the development industry in South Australia. They have advised me that it is now common practice for proponents of projects to budget for donations to the ALP and success fees. I am advised that budget lines are now appearing in project budgets for contributions to Labor Party fundraising. Figures quoted have been in the vicinity of $80,000 for major development declaration and the undertaking of rezoning and up to $250,000 for major project approval and the completion of rezoning. The cost, of course, will be passed on to the end consumers. Will the minister please explain the hypocrisy of his government's affordable housing policy, given that these fundraising costs are now being passed on to South Australian home buyers?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:23): What a disgraceful piece of sleaze from the Leader of the Opposition! The new Leader of the Opposition, Isobel Redmond, was supposed to bring in a new regime. Well, it has not taken her and her party long to get deep down into the sewer—and they have come up besmirched with excrement, metaphorically speaking. So, we have these sorts of totally unsubstantiated comments.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: If the honourable member has any information, let him produce it—but, of course, he won't because it is a totally, completely and utterly fabricated question, and he knows it. All it does is represent the depths to which this Liberal opposition has sunk.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I have answered the question. Just produce one piece of evidence—I'll bet you can't.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Yes, I suppose they could do that. This party is a master of fabrication. There is a person sitting up on the backbench whose staff member was producing dodgy websites—and he is still employed by them, I understand. It is the dirty tricks department of the Liberal Party, and this is just another example of it. If the honourable member has one piece of evidence, let him produce it.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I don't believe it.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Why don't you people actually produce some policies for the people of South Australia? Why don't you people opposite come up with something to offer to the people of South Australia, rather than getting down into the sewer and bringing up all this sort of rubbish, which you know is dishonest? You know it is untrue and totally fabricated.