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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-15 Daily Xml
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INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): My question is to the Premier. If at least two independent state watchdogs—the DPP and the former auditor-general—are calling for the establishment of a state independent commission against corruption, why is the Premier still so steadfastly opposed?

The SPEAKER: This question is pretty similar to one yesterday, but I will allow it.

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) (14:46): I am happy to respond, sir. Regarding the former question, because I know that members were serious, I can say that while Labor is in power there will be school sport. Those of us—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: No, no; if the Liberals want to get rid of—

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

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: I have a point of order. Not even the Premier can make school sport come into an ICAC. It is relevance, Mr Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier must answer the substance of the question.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Those who remember my appearances on the rugby fields of the Waikato will know my passion for this.

An honourable member: Why didn't they play you on the wing?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I did play on the wing; the right wing, actually.

Dr McFetridge interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That's not far from the truth.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: The mascot, that's right. Why are people so unkind? I can say, on the issue of ICAC, that we can keep doing this and doing this, in terms of repeats. This government has employed 550 extra police in South Australia, we have seen robberies go down 30 per cent, and we have seen a drop in crime in this state. We have an anti-corruption branch that does an outstanding job in this state; we have an Ombudsman with the powers of a royal commission; and we have an Auditor-General with enormous powers to carry out investigations. We also have a DPP to whom we gave extra resources; he wanted more and more resources for himself, and we delivered for his organisation. I remember going down there. I listened, and we delivered the extra money. He is independent as well.

I guess the point is: how much is it going to cost? From where are we to get the money? Would it not be better to have a national ICAC, like the former National Crime Authority, that is not appointed by politicians here, whether they are Liberal or Labor? Crime and corruption have no borders, and that is exactly the point we have been trying to get across in relation to the bikie legislation. We wanted everyone in it so that there were no safe havens.

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