Disability Services

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding screening.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Yesterday, the minister again failed to answer a simple and direct question about when she knew that dozens of unscreened integrity care workers had applied for clearances. My questions to the minister are: when did the minister know, and is the minister refusing to answer because she or her office are under investigation?

The PRESIDENT: Minister for Human Services. There was a fair bit of opinion in that question, the Hon. Ms Bourke.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:41): The response to the last part of the question is no. I have been at pains to repeat that, while these matters are under a police investigation, a quality and safeguarding investigation, it probably bears reminding the Labor Party and the South Australian public that the intention is to work out whether the organisation is appropriate to be registered, whether there are criminal matters. It is inappropriate for me to be providing replies to those sort of details in the public domain, and I would respectfully ask that the Labor Party cease this line of questioning if they have any respect for the process—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: It's a question about your knowledge, your factual knowledge as minister.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —and if they have any genuine desire for justice to be brought—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: You're just fudging it.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —in the case of the—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: You're just fudging it, you're making this up as you go along.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —abhorrent death of Ann Marie Smith.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: There is no requirement, it's about what you knew, and when.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hunter, please let the minister finish answering the question and not badger her so that—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: Sir, she is refusing to answer a simple question.

The PRESIDENT: It is not a discussion, the Hon. Mr Hunter. I cannot hear the answer. Minister, please finish your answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: If the Labor Party has any respect for the memory of Ann Marie Smith, and for the police investigation that is being undertaken, for the investigation into the provider—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: —they would cease and desist from this line of questioning.