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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-02-28 Daily Xml
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TRAM DERAILMENT

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (14:49): Is the Premier satisfied that the Minister for Transport did not unfairly blame the tram driver for the Melbourne Cup Day tram derailment in an effort to escape responsibility and to divert attention from systemic and infrastructure failures linked to the government's new tram service? If the minister's statements were incorrect, what action does he intend to take? This morning on ABC Radio, Ashley Waddell of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union told radio listeners:

It is unfair to single out the driver...the report shows the transport department should also take some responsibility for what went wrong.

Mr Waddell went on to say:

The system is being operated before fully operational...We ended up with a derailment but you can't just point the finger at one person.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:50): It really is an unfair question to ask in the absence of the minister—

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Well, he should be here.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Why did you give him a pair?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Is he paired tomorrow or today?

Mr Hamilton-Smith: He's paired tomorrow.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Is he paired now?

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: He is paired for Thursday, I am advised by the letter. You might just need to check with your party whip, right behind you.

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Shouldn't have made the request! Apparently we should not have made the request for a pair, but it was okay for them to approve it. Can I suggest to the Leader of the Opposition that if you want a minister to stay here, you do not approve the pair.

Dr McFETRIDGE: Point of order, sir. Relevance.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I do not uphold the point of order but I do encourage the Deputy Premier to refrain from responding to interjections.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: As part of the answer, I can confirm that information that I am given is that we have documented advice that the opposition paired the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Of course it did.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Am I missing something here, guys?

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Yes, you are. The minister should be here in parliament.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: The minister should be here, and we should not have asked for a pair, but it is okay for them to approve it. What a weird logic you have over there. It is the Minister for Transport's conference. State ministers are meeting today.

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Tomorrow.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Well, why did you give the pair?

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Tomorrow.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Why did you give the pair?

Mr Hamilton-Smith: Tomorrow. State ministers meet tomorrow.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: State ministers meet—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The house will come to order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I would ask the Leader of the Opposition to apologise and withdraw that remark—

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: No. The Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I know you might have some problems with your staff, as the whip—

Mr Hamilton-Smith interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sir, the Leader of the Opposition has just said that the Minister for Transport has gone to a Labor booze-up in Canberra. It is a ministerial council meeting—

Mr Hamilton-Smith: It's not; it's tomorrow.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: State ministers are meeting—Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: No; you are not going to keep getting away with this.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier will take his seat.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The house is suspended for 15 minutes until the ringing of the bells.

[Sitting suspended from 14:53 to 15:05]

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