Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:48): Supplementary: with respect, that wasn't the deal that the minister referred to in his answer nor was it the deal that I referred to my supplementary. The minister referred to a deal that he did, when he was in opposition, with these representatives of the company in Washington in 2017. That's the deal that I am asking a question about. Is there any written documentation in support of that deal?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:48): As I tried to explain, I think these members opposite struggle to grasp that you can travel to the other side of the world, make an appointment to see somebody and say, 'I would like you to bring your Living Lab to Adelaide.'

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Well, I was in opposition. I went and asked. I said, 'Can you bring one of your Living Labs to Adelaide?'

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Did you call yourself a minister then?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I think they could tell by my passion for my state that I was soon to be a minister. I am certain I had a vision for the state—

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Because you had a card saying it, did you, Ridgy?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: No, not at all. I wouldn't want to falsely represent my standing in the parliament, unlike perhaps some others in this parliament. There isn't a written deal. This was a relationship, and then, after the election, MIT visited here and that's when negotiations started. This was about building some understanding. Professor Pentland arrived today; he has never been to Adelaide but he has been to Melbourne and Sydney. This deal, and the negotiations since the election, have been done with MIT and the department, BankSA and Optus. It has been quite a long time. It is now nearly 470 or 480 days since the election, so it has been a long process, but as far as the deal, honourable members opposite have to—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: It was your word, David. It was your language.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Yes, a deal. It was a handshake. It was, 'You sound like you've got a great place,' and I said I did a deal. That is the trouble: they have spent so long with their heads in the bureaucratic weeds they think you can't actually go and have a handshake and say, 'I think that sounds like a great idea. We are going to come to the election.'

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: You said, 'I did a deal.'

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Yes, a deal and a handshake.