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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-11-10 Daily Xml
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CHINA TRADE TRIP

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:48): My question is again to the Premier. In defending his government's investment in Puglia, the Premier has claimed it was important to nurture overseas markets and sister state relations.

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: you have to seek leave to explain a question. We do have some standing orders.

The SPEAKER: Can you rephrase your question, please?

Mrs REDMOND: Certainly, Madam Speaker. My question is: why did the Premier snub our number one trading partner by cancelling an October trade trip to China at the last minute—

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order—I think it is standing order 97, from memory—you are not allowed to have comment in your questions. Claiming it is a snub is plainly comment and is quite pejorative.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I uphold that point of order. I think you need to be very careful in the wording of your question, Leader of the Opposition.

Mrs REDMOND: Thank you, Madam Speaker, for that advice. Why did the Premier cancel his arrangements to travel to China, at the last minute, only to spend 12 and 13 October in Sydney, the dates he was due to be in China, when he has consistently tried to uphold his investment in Puglia by claiming it was important to nurture overseas markets and sister state relations?

The SPEAKER: I think that question almost borders on invasion of privacy—but, Premier, if you choose to answer 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) (14:50): It is really interesting, you know; if I had gone to China, I would now be criticised and they would ask, 'Why is he overseas again?' That is the truth.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: That's exactly—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition, you are warned! You have asked your question.

Mr Pisoni: Tell us how many times you've been to China.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Unley, you are on your third warning!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, did you finish answering your question? I couldn't hear for the noise.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I was having the same problem. The China relationship is critically important to this state, and so is the Indian relationship. The minister for infrastructure and transport has been to China twice in the past six months. The minister for agriculture has just returned from China. There is another ministerial delegation by the minister for mines and mineral resources in the next couple of weeks, and I think the Minister for Industry and Trade as well. Recently, I hosted the—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, leader!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —Governor of Shandong here in South Australia. I have been to China on a number of occasions. I would be criticised by you if I go away; I would be criticised if I do not go away—I guess that just comes with the territory.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: But the thing is that we do remember; we have seen the travel report of the Leader of the Opposition in Paris.

Ms Fox: Where did she go?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: She went to Paris—she went to France and she went to England, and what did she discover? I know she was accompanied, but what did she discover in Paris?

Mr PISONI: Point of order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PISONI: Point of order!

The SPEAKER: Premier, point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr PISONI: Point of order: relevance.

The SPEAKER: Relevance. Have you finished your answer, Premier?

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There will be no questions across the floor like that. Premier, have you finished your answer?

The Hon. M.D. RANN: Look, I think it's terrific that you were in Paris and you discovered that they have an underground railway called the Metro.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Waite.

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