Drought Assistance

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (15:19): Supplementary question, Mr President.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I'm not going to reward him by throwing him out.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Why did it take the opposition and media pressure for the government to backflip on the fees charged to farmers in the midst of the worst drought in history?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, you have way too much to say today. Would you like to answer the question?

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: That's tempting, sir, but I'll let a minister answer.

The PRESIDENT: Then how about a bit of silence from you.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (15:20): I am a little surprised by the Leader of the Opposition in this place trying to take credit for this occurring.

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: No, no: we just heard the honourable member ask, 'Why did it take the opposition?' The approach from the opposition, I am advised, was that it was very late on Friday afternoon, just before 4 o'clock apparently, that my office received an email. She obviously thinks that was the key, that that was it. The South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association and Livestock SA have been working with PIRSA, with my office, on this. Why on earth would those opposite think their focus should be on getting media headlines instead of actually working constructively?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: If those opposite really wanted to make a difference they would have made contact far before this, yet they stand up and say, 'Oh no, it's the opposition pressure that has done this, it's the opposition pressure.' How about they actually try to be constructive? Why is a drought the opportunity for those opposite to play politics instead of working in a bipartisan way? Why do we see those opposite—

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —not working in a bipartisan way on biosecurity, on drought? On it goes. Why aren't they willing to be constructive? They won't be constructive because they have no ideas, they have no policy.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Those opposite have talked today, in this place, about the emergency services levy. The member opposite was asked yesterday on FIVEAA about why don't they come out and say the Tarzia government will remove the ESL from country people. Let's see what their answer is—

The Hon. H.M. Girolamo interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Girolamo, just zip it.

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I quote:

We are well and truly aware…that…we already have announced a number of policies…we've announced that we will increase the eligibility for…sorry…in terms of payroll tax, we'll be increasing the…payroll tax threshold…

On it went. She could not actually name any policies. We are nine months out from an election—

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The honourable Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —and we would like to see some policies from those opposite.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: Point of order: relevance, and the minister's answer about a question from the opposition.

The PRESIDENT: Minister, conclude your remarks. We have had eight questions so far. I want to go to the Hon. Ms Franks. Just conclude now, please.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Okay. I don't know if that was any reason she was then pulled from doing an interview on another station within an hour later; I will leave that up to others to determine.