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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-27 Daily Xml
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Question Time

ATKINSON/ASHBOURNE/CLARKE AFFAIR

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:07): Will the Premier now change the way he deals with allegations of corruption involving ministers in his own government? A statement yesterday by three members of the former Select Committee into the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: I wouldn't laugh if I was you.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: You're as guilty as hell.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: A point of order, sir: the Leader of the Opposition just made an imputation against me which is contrary to the standing orders and practice of the house.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.J. ATKINSON: The remark was 'as guilty as hell' and I ask that he withdraw it forthwith.

The SPEAKER: Yes; the leader must withdraw it. That is an imputation.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: I am happy to withdraw the remark, sir.

The Hon. M.D. Rann: And apologise.

The SPEAKER: Order! It is not necessary. He just needs to withdraw it.

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: With your leave, I will explain. A statement yesterday—

An honourable member: He's a bit stronger than you, mate.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH: —by three members of the former Select Committee into the Atkinson/Ashbourne/Clarke Affair recommends that the Premier be censured for his failure to properly report to the Anti-Corruption Branch of South Australia Police the substance of allegations made by Cressida Wall on 20 November 2002. It further states that the Premier was censured for his seven-month delay in informing the parliament—all the people of South Australia—of the events which led to his appointment of Warren McCann to conduct an inquiry. The statement also includes evidence from the Crown Solicitor that:

The police investigation was seriously compromised by the delay of seven months between the time the McCann inquiry began and when the matters were finally reported to the Anti-Corruption Branch.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:09): The only corruption was the Liberals' involvement in this exercise. I am not sure whether it was a kangaroo court, but the fact is that we saw—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —the coaching of witnesses. Also, can I just say the difference is that there was someone charged and someone prosecuted who then went to court and was acquitted. All due processes occurred—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —then what we did is something that your government would never have done: I informed the Auditor-General of the situation and invited him—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —to make an inquiry.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I will just say that those involved in the upper house in this exercise in coaching witnesses are as bent as forks.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Transport! The leader will come to order!

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