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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-11-17 Daily Xml
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Personal Explanation

TRUANCY

Mr PISONI (Unley) (21:32): I seek leave to make a personal explanation.

Leave granted.

Mr PISONI: Today in question time I asked the Minister for Education whether she could name who she has consulted in relation to truancy and changes to the education act. I then went on to quote exactly what the minister had said on radio on the Leon Byner show on FIVEaa this very morning. The minister then went on in answer to my question to say that it is very easy to misquote someone and imply that something horrendous has happened. Sir, I would like to read into the Hansard the 25 minute interview or, if you like, I can read the highlighted relevant sections. I do not want to be accused of selectively highlighting or selectively quoting the minister, but the minister did make the claim in the parliament that I had misquoted her for political gain. She then used that claim not to answer the question. I would like, at the very least, to read the relevant sections of the radio interview. Leon Byner says:

Minister Lomax-Smith, thanks for joining us today. I'm a little bit confused about all this because if you are right, Minister, that there is a problem with the law Michael Atkinson wasn't aware of it two weeks ago...secondly, we now find that there is a problem with the law, why has it taken seven years to deal with it?

The minister then says:

Well, I have to say that this legal process has been the same for many years...over the last 25 years we have struggled in those rare cases, where a parent is totally uncooperative, to get any kind of prosecution.

She then goes on to say:

I think this has been an issue that we've addressed this year. The way we change the law is not just to have an idea and go into Parliament the next day, that's not fair on anyone...what we've done with this particular legislative change—

and I stress 'this particular legislative change'—

is we've spent several months consulting with the sectors because we have to involve the non-government sectors as well; talking to parents, talking to teachers...we've reached the stage now where our proposed Bill, based on that consultation, is being drafted...

Then there is more banter between Mr Byner and the minister. Isobel Redmond, Leader of the Opposition, is then asked to contribute to the debate.

The SPEAKER: Order! I think the member for Unley has given the quote from which he was drawing.

Mr PISONI: No, I haven't, sir.

The SPEAKER: Can you get to it, otherwise I will withdraw leave.

Mr PISONI: In response to the Leader of the Opposition, the minister said:

I have to say that I'm a great supporter of the notion of talking to people and consulting. We've had this bill in the planning, we've been out to consultation.

I seek an apology for that—

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not orderly. You have made your personal explanation. It is not orderly to make any demand for an apology or otherwise.

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