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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-09 Daily Xml
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Question Time

RANN GOVERNMENT

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): Thank you—

The Hon. K.O. Foley interjecting:

Mrs REDMOND: It could be. It could be to the Minister for Water, Madam Speaker.

The Hon. J.D. Hill interjecting:

Mrs REDMOND: He may believe in capitalism. I know that the Treasurer doesn't.

The Hon. K.O. Foley: A former member of the Labor Party.

Mrs REDMOND: Who, Paul Caica?

The Hon. K.O. Foley: Were you a member of the Labor Party?

Mrs REDMOND: For one meeting, and then I realised—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mrs REDMOND: —and I came to my senses very quickly.

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader is asking questions of the government, not the other way around.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. K.O. Foley: You are led by a Laborite!

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Can we now have some order and listen to the Leader of the Opposition in silence, please? Leader.

Mrs REDMOND: Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister for Water, and the question is: can the minister explain why he thinks the government is on the nose (as he indicated at a press conference a short time ago) when the Premier has said that the government is travelling well and is here for the long haul; or is it just that he agrees with the cabinet secretary, the member for Mawson, who told caucus on Monday that the government is 'on the nose in the electorate and is stuffed'?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister.

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (14:06): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I thank the comrade deputy leader for her question.

Mrs Redmond: I am not the deputy leader.

The Hon. P. CAICA: I apologise.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: That's right. Yesterday we were talking about recycling, and I forget sometimes how many of you have been recycled to the various positions. Madam Speaker—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr Williams: Tell us about the love.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, well, there is plenty of love, and I will tell you this right now—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! All this love in the chamber is getting a bit too much; could we please keep it down. Minister.

Mr Pengilly: Get out of this one, son!

The Hon. P. CAICA: 'Son.' Yes, dad!

The SPEAKER: You are showing your age, member for Finniss. You are showing your age; I would be quiet if I were you. Minister.

The Hon. P. CAICA: Madam Speaker, it is true that, when asked a question by one of our erstwhile journalists at a press conference—that press conference was, of course, to announce the successful tenderer for the very, very important delivery of water services for the next 10 years—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: No, not at all. In fact, it is probably safe to say that what will not be reported by our very diligent media is what I did say, which was that we have a very, very efficient and talented front bench. We have—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I am talking about our former and current front bench, but I wonder how your reshuffling is actually going. But, Madam Speaker—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: What I did say is that we have an outstanding cabinet, one that is serving and will continue to serve South Australia very well. We have an extremely talented backbench, and all this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: I also said this: we have a not so talented opposition, and I am sure that will not be reported, either. What I did also say is that the talent that we have, the solidarity that we have, augurs—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: It is like a pantomime, isn't it? You are like actors in a pantomime. I also said that what we have and what we possess augur well for the Labor Party to be not just a threat at the next election. I see no reason why we cannot be successful at the 2014 election. Now, of course, that won't—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: Of course, I and everyone else here truly believe that to be the case. What is going to reinforce that is that very important point I made about the fact that we do not have a talented opposition.

Mr PENGILLY: Point of order: I believe the minister is debating the issue.

The SPEAKER: No, I don't think he is debating the issue. I think he is responding to your interjections, which is probably worse. Minister, have you finished your response, or have you still some more to say?

The Hon. P. CAICA: I still have—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right will be quiet also! Give the minister the courtesy of listening to him.

The Hon. P. CAICA: To finish off, it is certainly going to be reported—notwithstanding all that I have said that will not be reported tomorrow—that I said you do not have to be Einstein to know that, in some sections of our elector land and voter land, we are not travelling as well as I would like.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

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