Metropolitan Fire Service

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:26): A supplementary: who authorised and paid for the removal of the UFU signage from South Australian fire stations, and did you have any prior knowledge or did your office have any prior knowledge of or involvement in their removal?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:26): I hope so. We don't want unlawful banners prosecuting positions on public property. That has been a consistent position that the government has adopted. In relation to who issued the instruction, I suspect it had to be the head of the MFS, whatever his official title happens to be. Certainly, my long held view, both public and private, was that it was inappropriate to be using public resources in the way they were being used. That has been a consistent view and I think it's a view that most people in the community would accept.

You can prosecute your case, if you wish to, but you don't run around with slogans or signs on government property prosecuting your particular point of view in relation to an industrial dispute. We are the government. We have management of the people's assets. They are not the assets of the union, the union bosses and their representatives.