Personal Explanation

Adelaide Oval Hotel Development

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (15:25): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Yesterday—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Allow the member to give his personal explanation in silence.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: —during the debate on the Adelaide Oval select committee, the Hon. Mr Frank Pangallo made a suggestion that I had been making some comments in this place, and I quote what he said:

There is potential here for conflicts of interest, particularly when it comes to the hotel proposal. The SMA or the government is unable to say who will run it yet, but I was told in this chamber that there are board members with that kind of expertise. I gather that the Hon. David Ridgway would have been referring to Mr Hurley.

I had no recollection of saying anything about Mr Hurley in the debate. We have checked Hansard and, while it is relatively minor, it was my good friend, colleague, fantastic leader of our team and Treasurer, the Hon. Robert Lucas, who made some comments in relation to it, and I quote:

I think I have seen media interviews where they have indicated that, within their body of existing management expertise, they have claimed that they have people either with the ability, experience or otherwise to manage a 128-bed hotel…

I wanted to point out to the Hon. Frank Pangallo that I had made no comment in relation to the running of the hotel in previous debates in this chamber, and I ask him to correct the record when he gets an opportunity.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:26): I will withdraw and correct that. Thank you, the Hon. David Ridgway.