Question Time

State Major Bank Levy

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:17): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment a question about the state bank tax.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: This morning on radio—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Can you shut him up? Can you chuck him out before we even start?

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Sit down for a moment. I would really like to think that our government ministers will treat question time with a little bit more seriousness than this. The honourable Leader of the Opposition is on his feet asking a question and I expect that to be done and answered as it should be.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you, Mr President. This morning on radio minister Hamilton-Smith, the minister's cabinet colleague and somebody he referred to in this place as a very good friend and as a good egg in their team—which may be a view not shared by this side of the chamber; nonetheless, a good friend and a good egg in their team—said, 'I will be raising myself in cabinet the question about whether the Commonwealth Bank should continue to be the bank for the state government.' Mr Hamilton-Smith said this in response to the Commonwealth Bank's opposition to the state bank tax. My question to the minister is: do you agree that the Commonwealth Bank should no longer continue to be the bank of the state government?

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) (14:18): I thank the honourable member for his question and for his raising the issue of the bank levy, which is being levied in South Australia in accordance with exactly what his counterparts in Canberra are doing. I have not heard what was on radio this morning; furthermore, we know from the form of those opposite that they take liberties with what they claim has been said.

I thank the member for his questions. A few weeks ago it was, 'Did you watch TV last night? Did you see a couple of ads?', and this morning it's, 'Have you been listening to the radio?' I haven't heard what's been on radio this morning. I am happy to go away and have a look to see if—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Have you finished? While the minister is on his feet answering the question, I would like people to be quiet. I want to hear his answer.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I am happy to go away and look to see just how misrepresented the situation has been. In relation to anything the government chooses to do, I am not going to comment on a hypothetical question about an assertion about something that may or may not have been said on radio. I have no idea if that's an accurate reflection or not. I am happy to go away and have a look, but I am not going to comment on any possible hypothetical assertion.