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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-07-23 Daily Xml
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TOURISM EVENTS

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:13): Once again my question is to the Minister for Tourism. Which of the following events would the minister classify as her most successful achievement: (1) the former hard court tennis championships, axed in 2007; (2) the Jacob's Creek golf open, which was axed in 2006; (3) the International Horse Trials, which had its funding slashed from $300,000 to $20,000; (4) The International Guitar Festival, which dropped $1 million; (5) the World Food Exchange—

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sir, I rise on a point of order.

Mr PENGILLY: —which was—

The SPEAKER: Order! There is a point of order. The member for Finniss will take his seat.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: This is clearly not a question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It is a rather irregular question.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I am not sure that I can rule it out of order. Does the member have anything else to add to his list?

Mr PENGILLY: Yes, sir; two final points. The World Food Exchange, which was postponed and still could be cancelled altogether; or horse racing at Victoria Park, which finished last December? Which one?

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH (Adelaide—Minister for Education and Children's Services, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:14): I think that this is a facetious question. Some of these events have no bearing on my portfolio, but I will point out, for those events related to my portfolio (which were not the entire list of those the honourable member discussed) the ones that were at some stage funded by AME (Major Events). I have to say that being in government requires one to take decisions. I know it is very difficult for the member opposite—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Finniss.

The Hon. J.D. LOMAX-SMITH: —to understand that, when you spend other people's money, you have responsibilities. My attitude to spending other people's money is much as I would have for my own money. My view is that you make sure you understand the facts, you get the information and you put the money where it has the best effect. I think if those opposite would rather fund underperforming events that produce few tourists coming to Adelaide, then they should admit it and say that they believe that tourism as a portfolio is a fun community-building portfolio which just gives money willy-nilly to any event. Government is tough: it is about making decisions, looking at return on investment and spending other people's money as carefully as you would spend your own.

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