Metropolitan Fire Service Travel Allowance

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Minister for Emergency Services regarding the Metropolitan Fire Service travel allowance.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: In Deputy President Eaton's court reasons Her Honour states and I quote:

The circumstances of the contraventions are unusual and somewhat surprising for a government agency that one might reasonably assume to have allocated administrative resources equal to the task of paying its employees their legal entitlements as and when they fall due.

My questions to the minister are:

1. How is it even possible that the matter found its way to SAET?

2. Can the minister inform the chamber what the failure of the minister to resolve this matter earlier has cost South Australian taxpayers?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, sit down for a second.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Do you want an answer to your question or not?

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo: Yes.

The PRESIDENT: Right, well stop it!

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Autism, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:44): I thank the member for her question. As has been highlighted, yesterday I did update the chamber on this very matter. I did take the opportunity to clarify answers that I had given. That was read out in my response yesterday. As I have highlighted today, this wasn't good enough, more had to be done and done earlier, and the government do unreservedly apologise for what has occurred here.