BURNSIDE COUNCIL

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:33): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations a question about Burnside council.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In the other place, on 28 October and yesterday, 9 November, the member for Croydon made speeches in the grievance debates complaining about disruption of local government meetings. In relation to disruption of Burnside council meetings by councillor Jacobsen, Mr Atkinson said that the Office for State/Local Government Relations 'cannot or will not do anything'.

Mr Atkinson then went on to highlight that Mr John Hanlon of the Office for State/Local Government Relations was a former chief executive of the Burnside council, and he posed a series of questions. One of the questions posed by Mr Atkinson relates to the contents of the MacPherson report. As this report is subject to court proceedings, I will not pose it. I ask the other questions posed by Mr Atkinson:

1. What role did Mr John Hanlon have in formulating the terms of reference of Mr Ken MacPherson's report into the Burnside council?

2. What communication did Mr Hanlon have with Mr MacPherson and his staff during the inquiry?

On my own behalf, I ask: does the minister agree with the assertion of the former attorney-general that the Office for State/Local Government Relations has decided it cannot, or will not, do anything to resolve the Burnside turmoil?

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) (14:34): As I have stated in this place previously, this matter is currently before the court, and I have been advised that it would be most improper of me to make any comment on any matter that might relate to those matters before the court. In terms of Mr John Hanlon's role in contributing to the terms of reference, I think it would be prudent of me to put on record that I am advised that he had no role in constructing the terms of reference and has had no part in the investigation conducted by Ken MacPherson into certain matters relating to the Burnside council.