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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-26 Daily Xml
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Question Time

CITI CENTRE BUILDING

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Treasurer. Has the Treasurer budgeted to sell a building that the government does not own? On 19 December last year, the Treasurer announced, 'The government has decided to sell some of its office buildings.' In his statement the Treasurer listed the Citi Centre Building, located at Hindmarsh Square. That building is owned by the Commissioners of Charitable Funds, who hold the property as a bequest from the Martin family in perpetuity for the benefit of the Adelaide Hospital Endowment Fund. The government is head tenant of the building, which is sublet to a government department. The Labor government bought the head tenancy as part of many taxpayer funded rescue packages of State Bank funded investments but does not own the building.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (14:10): Sometimes the Leader of the Opposition should ask me privately before he raises something publicly. I give this parliament a rock solid guarantee: we will not sell anything that we do not own. I can confidently say that will not occur because, unless I am mistaken, I do not think you can sell something you do not own.

However, what I can say, in response to this earth-shattering question, is that the advice I am provided with is that the Commissioners of Charitable Funds owns the real estate—the land—and the government owns the building, and you can long-term lease—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Sorry, inter what?

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Indefeasible—

Mr Hamilton-Smith: The government owns the building?

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Yes, we own the building that sits on top of the land, so we can sell it or we can long-term lease it. There you go.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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