BURNSIDE COUNCIL

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:43): I have a supplementary question: will the minister please advise honourable colleagues where on the public record or any other record we can find the expenditure to date (given that she said it is there and available) because I cannot find it?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:43): Truly, Mr President, it is incredible. The Hon. Stephen Wade has just read out what I put on the record in terms of estimates. I have also put it on record in a number of media outlets because I have done considerable media on this and discussed it some time ago. It is there on the public record.

What is the real concern? This is really about the opposition going on a witch-hunt. It is a personal vendetta against the investigator, Mr Ken MacPherson, because he, in a former role, found some very improper conduct occurring by the former government—and lots of it.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Yes, and it involved a government that the Hon. Robert Brokenshire was a member of, so it is no wonder that he is squealing like a stuck pig. No wonder! It is a witch-hunt. It is a vendetta against a man of extremely high integrity because he found out about and divulged some improper conduct of those sitting opposite me as a former government. He found them out and exposed them for what they were, and they are still bleeding and squealing like stuck pigs. That is what this is about.

They are not really at all interested in ensuring that this investigation is done properly. In fact, they probably have their hands on their hearts wishing that it would all fall in a heap. They have tried every tactic in the book to try to undermine not only the investigation itself but also the investigator, Mr Ken MacPherson. That is what this is about. That is what is underlining all this—a personal vendetta against a man of extremely high integrity who is doing the job he is paid to do and doing it extremely well.