Contents
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Commencement
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Petitions
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Parliamentary Procedure
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Ministerial Statement
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Question Time
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Bills
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Parliamentary Committees
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Motions
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Bills
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MATES In Construction
The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:30): Supplementary arising from the member's answer: why is the member only concerned with the timing of the announcement rather than the announcement itself, and why does the member agree that this is not core business, given section 11(e) of the act, as was mentioned in the original question?
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (14:30): With great respect to the member, she put words in my mouth that I didn't say.
The Hon. C.M. Scriven: So it's a core business?
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Well, as the shadow minister, I would suspect that the member knows that the Construction Industry Training Board is an independent body, as it was under the previous government. The board made a decision to not—
Members interjecting:
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Well, the—
The PRESIDENT: Through me, the Hon. Mr Dawkins.
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Mr President, through you, I think members opposite liked to always, when they were in government, talk about decisions that were made by independent bodies, but now of course it's a different scenario for them. The reality is—
The Hon. K.J. Maher: You've been here long enough to know that's not independent.
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Well, you've been here long enough to know you shouldn't be interjecting. Can I say, and I've said many times, MATES in Construction is a terrific body and it does get funding from a range of sources. It has great support from within the union movement and within industry, and the bulk of its money comes from those sources. I have worked not only—
The Hon. E.S. Bourke: So is this the reason you want to get rid of it?
The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Do you know anything about this? I doubt it. I have worked with MATES in Construction not only in South Australia but with its founder, Mr Jorgen Gullestrup from Queensland, who is a great advocate for the work that MATES in Construction do, as am I. I will continue to support MATES in Construction in the work that they do not only in the construction industry but in the mining industry and other areas.