Forestry Industry

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:57): A supplementary based on the minister's answer: does the minister agree that the privatisation of ETSA went through a democratic process, namely the parliament, but that the privatisation of forestry did not?

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: You voted for it.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: You flogged the state off, mate. You flogged the state off. You should be ashamed of yourself. Does the minister agree that he would not allow the democratic processes to occur—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: —with the privatisation of ForestrySA by bringing it into the parliament? Gutless, they were.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his question about the democratic processes involved in the sale of ETSA. We went to an election in 1997, when the Hon. Robert Brokenshire's mob was the Liberals at the time. He has been in two or three different parties since then. Many years ago, they went to an election. They went to the biggest democratic process we have in this state, a general state election. Hand on heart, the Hon. Robert Brokenshire and his mates said, 'We promise not to sell ETSA.'

That's what they did, so I am happy to talk about the democratic processes. 'We promise we won't sell ETSA,' they said. They got into government and what did they do? Exactly what they said they wouldn't do. They meekly say, 'Oh, maybe we won't sell SA Water.' Let's look at what they do, not what they pretend to say. I thank the honourable member for his question about the breach of faith that he was part of in the democratic process.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Dawkins has the floor.