Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time SafeWork SA SAFEWORK SA The Hon. S.G. WADE Legislative Council SAFEWORK SA The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:39): Can the minister clarify whether his answer suggests that the government regards the financial sustainability of government as an exemption from the occupational health and safety requirements and, if so, whether that is also available to businesses if their financial sustainability were threatened by providing a safe work environment for their employees? The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management SAFEWORK SA The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:40): Of course, it does not. What I have said in the press to date is that there were some allegations of a lift malfunctioning. I will wait until I get the report as to the cause of that. In his question the honourable member raised some general comments, and the press article this morning had some comments that were attributed to the Chief Justice in relation to the funding of the Courts Administration Authority, and the honourable member seemed to roll those in together. All I am saying is that we do give occupational health and safety issues top priority. We will be looking to see if there is, in fact, any genuine risk. I do not know that that has necessarily been established at this stage. All of us work in buildings where, from time to time, lifts do not work. Whether there is anything further than that is obviously something for SafeWork SA to determine. I will wait until I get its report before I pass judgment on the risk. If there are any genuine safety concerns then, of course, government gives them top priority. However, in terms of upgrading buildings and facilities, they have to take their place in the queue with all the other demands on government.