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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-09-08 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:36): My question is again for the Treasurer. Why does your government not have the same level of probity requirements as the Victorian government for private sector consortia bidding—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would not do this but they appear to have been sticklers for standing orders in other areas. Could the deputy leader address the questions through you consistent with standing orders?

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader will address his questions through the chair.

Mr GRIFFITHS: My apologies, Mr Speaker. The question is through you to the Treasurer. Why does the government not have the same level of probity requirements as the Victorian government for private sector consortia bidding for government contracts? In relation to a Victorian government desal project, on 13 August 2009, the Victorian Minister for Water told the Victorian parliament:

Both bidders were required to sign the probity process deed. The probity process deed...made it absolutely clear that neither bidding consortium was to engage consultants to engage in lobbying or alternatively to lobby themselves within the generally understood meaning of the term 'lobbying'.

The Victorian Premier then went on to say:

…the probity and process deed specifically prohibits the engagement by bidding consortia of people to lobby on their behalf.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Federal/State Relations) (16:37): Firstly, can I say in reference to the Victorian Minister for Water, who is a friend of mine—I know Tim Holding well—that I, like everyone on this side of the house and I am sure members opposite, was very relieved and pleased when the search parties returned with Tim Holding safe and not injured. I was tempted to make a phone call to Victoria and see whether the search party for Tim Holding could be diverted to South Australia to look for the shadow treasurer as he had been unsighted for some weeks, but I thought better of it.

Mr Griffiths: If only it was funny.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: I must admit, for someone who gets hurt by the word 'hapless', I am sure it takes a lot to make him laugh. The issue of probity—fancy a Liberal talking to me about probity after the way they handled probity when they were in government. A deputy premier, a premier, tourism ministers, a whole suite of government ministers fell on the issue of probity. Cameras ran out of tape. The probity auditor went home before the last bid; the bid went in late. I mean, for goodness sake.

I will come back to the house with a more detailed answer, because I will look at what specifics were raised, but we have the highest level of probity in our PPP processes—

Ms Chapman: You can't even find the USB file.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: That was the result of human error.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: Unfortunately, it is very difficult for someone to prohibit a piece of reckless behaviour by someone walking out of a building with a USB stick. That is—

Ms Chapman: He's still working for you.

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: He has been taken off the project, absolutely. I am happy the shadow—what are you now you have been demoted? Attorney-general. Not that that is a demotion.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.O. FOLEY: From deputy leader, I meant, sorry. I meant to say 'deputy leader'. Remember the deal the demoted deputy leader stitched up to hide Catch Tim from the eyes of the Electoral Commission when she was president of the Liberal Party. She had this incredible labyrinth of hidden little companies and whatever so she could hide Catch Tim from the eyes of the Electoral Commissioner. So don't you dare talk to me about probity.

We have extremely high levels of probity. We have a number of probity auditors on projects. We have protocols about ministers meeting or not meeting with bidders. We have a protocol on lobbyists on these issues, and I can say as a minister who oversees these projects that we have a very, very high level of probity, to ensure that we are not only conducting ourselves properly but are seen to be conducting ourselves properly. So I say to the shadow finance minister that he should make a little more effort when he is trying to make a point, instead of running into a brick wall as he has just done with this question.

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