Legislative Council: Thursday, June 18, 2020

Contents

Pearce, Ms D.A.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:54): Supplementary question arising from the answer: minister, did it even once cross your mind that it might be a good idea to pick up the phone and talk to one of the members of Debbie Pearce's family?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:54): I outlined yesterday that we do receive a number of CCIs. We also have a number of deaths that occur in our services.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: You said one in 2018 yesterday.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Well, there are a number of—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Unbelievable.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: There are a number of deaths that occur across the 34,000 public housing properties that we own. We have 500 clients in our disability services accommodation. There is a range of people who are supported in a range of ways. I am not sure if the honourable member is suggesting that every time a death occurs within a service which is funded or regulated or operated by the state government that I should be picking up the phone. I would be spending an awful lot of time talking to a lot of families.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I have every confidence in my department and their existing rapport with their clients and their families and that they do an outstanding job in assisting people through what is—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: Nothing to do with you then. It's operational, is it? It's operational.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hunter!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: This family is grieving—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: They have lost someone they love, and the Labor Party for a second day in a row has been bringing these things into the parliament, in the public domain, using these matters as if they are some sort of political football in some sort of attempt to get a gotcha moment. Mr President, is that the standard of what we expect? Does the community of South Australia, indeed, expect that kind of behaviour? My answer to that is no.