Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Question Time Brand South Australia Brand South Australia The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition Brand South Australia The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment regarding Brand SA. Leave granted. The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council The Hon. K.J. MAHER: On 16 May this year, the minister was asked questions in this chamber during question time about Brand SA's funding being cut. The minister was specifically asked whether he would rule out Brand SA being stripped of funding. Despite the minister's attempts to dodge questions, even refusing to stand up and answer a direct question being asked, he would not give this chamber, to which he is responsible, a definitive answer, but did go as far as telling this chamber that nothing could be revealed until budget. My questions to the minister are: 1.	When was the minister first aware that Brand SA's funding would be cut? 2.	When was the minister first aware that this decision had in fact been revealed by communicating it to Brand SA? The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council Minister for Trade The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:19): I thank the honourable member for his question. I stand by all the answers I gave on 16 May. Members interjecting: The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I stand by those answers, but if they are going to interject— The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, you have asked a question, the minister is trying to respond and you are shouting at him. The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: You are shouting. It is inane to shout at a minister of whom you have just asked a question. Allow the minister to answer the question. The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you, Mr President, for your protection. I will repeat an answer that I gave yesterday to the Hon. Mark Parnell, who it is great to see back here fit as a fiddle again. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I do not need a commentary. The council would like to hear from the minister. The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The South Australian government is passionate about promoting our state to the world and sees great value in looking at how we might continue campaigns to drive the success of local businesses. The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Point of order: the answer that has been started in no way whatsoever relates to a very specific question—not at all. Other members have pulled the— The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: No, you have made your point. The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —for obfuscating and providing anecdotes. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, you are talking over me. Sit. The Hon. R.P. Wortley Legislative Council The Hon. R.P. Wortley: He has misled parliament—obvious. The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley, are you going to say that on your feet? Be careful what you murmur within earshot of the President. Members interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway, I haven't dealt with the Leader of the Opposition's point of order. Leader of the Opposition, you may have had a point, but the fact is that the ministers have some latitude, as you know, and he hardly got a sentence out before you made this point of order. I can't rule on something when he has hardly spoken. Allow him to answer the question, consider it, maybe have a point of order and then we will proceed to the next question. The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you, Mr President. As I reiterate, I stand by my answers from 16 May. I was trying to add some additional information around Brand SA, but clearly the members opposite are not interested in listening to that information. The government will have a far greater emphasis on marketing South Australia interstate and internationally through activities like targeted tourism campaigns and inbound and outbound trade missions. The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting: The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, I am going to start taking these questions that you are shouting from the floor as questions on the running sheet. I have given you more than enough latitude on supplementaries. If you want to ask him supplementaries, I will be more than amenable. Minister, are we going to finish this answer? The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Our strategy is to market South Australia to ensure targeted inbound and outbound international activities that are leveraged to showcase our state— The Hon. K.J. MAHER Legislative Council The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Point of order: now that we have heard further discussion, the questions were actually very specific about timing and when did he know. There was no— The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: Quiet. The minister got another sentence out. Even I can't rule on that. The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY Legislative Council The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I will repeat for the members opposite: I stand by my answer from the previous— The President Legislative Council The PRESIDENT: No, the Hon. Mr Ridgway, I have had enough of this answer. Leader of the Opposition, your second question. Let's go.