Land Tax

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:44): Supplementary, Mr President—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: It's going to be very hard, but I am happy to hear it.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Considering the Treasurer's support for locking the media out of the forum, was it the advice of the Treasurer or his staff to lock them out of the forum?

The PRESIDENT: It's close. I am going to allow it, actually.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:44): The member for Adelaide was conducting her own land tax forum. It's entirely her prerogative whom she wishes to invite or not. I certainly support the view that this was intended to be for her constituents, although in the end I think—and I am not sure of the exact number—a majority, probably close to three-quarters, were not her constituents. They were people who had been organised to come to the particular forum that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: No, by opponents of the legislation.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: The Property Council.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Yes. I don't have a problem of naming names—the Property Council.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Could I finish? Thank you.

The PRESIDENT: Just remember the Treasurer's first answer was yes, so you can't ask a question on what the Treasurer is saying now.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In relation to whether I support it, I do support the member's prerogative, the member for Adelaide's prerogative, as a local member to choose the people she wishes to go. I think it's fair, and I certainly support the view that, given other members of the media, for example, were not invited to attend, any individual member of the media shouldn't have been allowed to attend either. I do note we were quite happy to let—sorry, we weren't. The member for Adelaide was quite happy to let a serial Labor candidate, Ms Chapley, into the meeting as a constituent.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I just said, as a resident, just highlighting the fact that a Labor Party candidate was entitled to attend, and she was allowed to attend. Some members of the media who sought to attend were not even local residents or constituents.

The Hon. E.S. Bourke interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Don't push it. That would be pushing your luck, the Hon. Ms Bourke. The Hon. Mr Stephens, what are you doing?

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Can I ask a question?

The PRESIDENT: I haven't given you the call yet.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I haven't spoken. I am on my feet, looking for the call.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: We're ready to go. I just wanted to know whether you were asking a supplementary or going for a question.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I jumped to my feet to try to get the call.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Stephens, please ask your question.