Land Tax

The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (14:46): Supplementary: did the Treasurer or the Premier speak to the Premier's economic advisory board before they formulated the new land tax proposal?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:47): I don't speak to the Premier's Economic Advisory Council, so I certainly did not meet with them. As I have indicated earlier—I have had a number of other questions on why we did not consult with this particular group or that particular group prior to it—it would be my assessment that it is highly unlikely that, prior to bringing a budget down, confidential decisions that are the subject of confidential cabinet discussions are discussed, whether it be with the Property Council, the Tax Institute, the Economic Advisory Council, etc.

The Economic Advisory Council has a role to play but, ultimately, budgets and cabinet decisions are subject to cabinet confidentiality. That is unlike the former Labor government, when various people like Mr Champion de Crespigny, Monsignor Cappo and others were given status in terms of involvement on cabinet committees and others, something that we trenchantly opposed from opposition as they were not elected members of parliament and therefore had no entitlement to access cabinet confidentiality, in our view.

That is not a role that we have adopted in relation to Liberal government. Members of parliament are elected, cabinet ministers are nominated or elected, and they have responsibilities. Individuals, whether they be business leaders, prominent members of the Catholic community, or indeed anybody else, are non-elected officers or representatives. They have not been elected by the people of South Australia and, in our view, are not entitled to the confidential discussions of the cabinet or a cabinet committee in relation to the processes of government in this state.