Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Ministerial Staff MINISTERIAL STAFF The Hon. R.I. LUCAS Legislative Council MINISTERIAL STAFF The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:30): Happy to respond. I have a supplementary question arising out of the minister's answer. Is it not correct that the ministerial directory, released under freedom of information to me, lists more than 12.6 full-time equivalents as being within the minister's office? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling MINISTERIAL STAFF The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:30): I have already answered that question. I have already said— Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I have already answered the question. It is no mystery. I have already said that all my staff are publicly accountable for— Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. R.I. Lucas Legislative Council The Hon. R.I. Lucas: How incompetent are you? Just look around when you walk through the door. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Do you talk to them; do you say hello? The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: All my staff are publicly accountable for. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: They are all on the public record. The Hon. R.I. Lucas Legislative Council The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Take your shoes off and use your toes. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: They are all accounted for. The Hon. R.I. Lucas Legislative Council The Hon. R.I. Lucas: Take your shoes off and use your toes if you can't count above your fingers. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Lucas would be leader if he could count. The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: And that's why he's a failed treasurer as well, Mr President; he had a lot of trouble with his figures. As I have said, the staffing numbers in my office—the number of FTEs—fluctuate from time to time. Whether there are 12 there at this point in time, I could not tell you. Whether it is 11, 11.2, 11.8, 12.1 or 10.6, I could not tell you exactly, but they are publicly accountable for. I believe that the number of staff I have in the office reflect the very broad scope of responsibilities I have. At this point in time, I would like to acknowledge the incredibly hard and incredibly valuable work my staff do. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council The Hon. G.E. GAGO: So, they are to be congratulated and acknowledged for their amazing efforts, and I do want to acknowledge those efforts.