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

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (11:20): I move:

That the Economic and Finance Committee inquire into the government's investments and activities in Italy and in particular, the investments and activities in the region of Puglia and that the committee report to the house—

(a) the total value of all expenditure across the whole of government linked to Puglia;

(b) whether the memorandum of understanding signed between the state government and the region of Puglia has been properly implemented; and

(c) what value South Australian taxpayers have received from the investment.

The entire matter of the government's investments in Puglia needs to be referred to the Economic and Finance Committee so that the facts can be established. The parliament heard at length last year of the extent to which the Premier and his minister had gone to Italy and splashed millions of taxpayers' money about on questionable investments. The parliament, and the public, heard how, over a period of time, this pet project of the Premier's had attracted so much of the taxpayers' money and attention for so little reward. The question was put as to why this was so.

So many unanswered questions regarding the total amount that has been spent in Puglia remain on the table. The only way to get to the bottom of it would be for this entire matter to be referred to the Economic and Finance Committee so that the Auditor-General and various departments can be called and we can add up the bill, because the bill will be many millions of dollars.

Now, why is that so? If the Premier, Mr Rann, had come clean about the money he had been socking away in Puglia and any benefits, if there are in fact any of substance, delivered to South Australian businesses and taxpayers as a result of the relationship, we would not be here debating this motion. Out there in the business community this is something that is now a matter of jokes and ridicule.

At the very time that the Premier and his government are slashing the Department of Trade and Economic Development to the bone, closing country hospitals, cutting back education, making life tougher for some of those most in need in our community and sacking public servants, over in the corner we have been quietly socking away millions of dollars in Puglia.

Last September, we had a budget that cut funding, as I mentioned, to all of those South Australian institutions and community groups that were in such need. The government told us that there was a financial crisis going on, that there was no money for this and no money for that, that there had been pain and that it had had to make some tough decisions. Well, there was one string of tough decisions they were not prepared to make and that was to cut back the waste in this little pocket tucked away on the other side of the world called Puglia.

Then we found out that the Premier owns a holiday house there. We found out that there are family connections there and that this is a destination that he likes to go to. We found out a whole lot of things that raise concerns about this government's priorities and the probity of how things are managed. Some might describe it as nepotism if you go to some favoured part of the world and, using taxpayers' money, throw out the riches of the state of South Australia on favours and festivals in this remote part of the world in order to build your profile there and make it seem that you are a very important person.

Some might see it that way. I have to say that, in the absence of any tangible benefits to South Australia from the investment, I think that people who might see it as a form of nepotism may have some substance to the argument because the government has stunningly failed to convince the public, the media or the parliament that there were any other benefits to this waste of money, other than some sort of a 'feel good' exercise.

Let me just run over some of the things that have come to light as a result of this farrago. There was the Premier's signing of a memorandum of understanding in May 2007, in Puglia, but no disclosure of the full costs linked to that memorandum of understanding. There was a press release on 12 February 2008; visits not only by the Premier but the member for Norwood at the time, Ms Vinnie Ciccarello; and travel reports on visits from 9 to 17 May. Then there was the Terra II Film Festival opened by the Premier—again, the full cost not disclosed; and the hosting of a 30-person delegation from Puglia, led by Professor Marco Barbieri, in February 2008—again, the full cost not disclosed.

Then, the former member for Norwood's visits to Puglia at the request and, I presume, instigation of the Premier; further memorandums of understanding (16 meetings around Puglia)—again, the full cost not disclosed; and official dinners with representatives from the regional government and local industry, between 9 and 17 May 2007—again, the full costs not disclosed.

Then, of course, the Fiera del Levante, the big party in Puglia, between 7 and 14 September 2007—again, the full costs not disclosed; money soaked away from the trade and development department, out of programs to help small business, programs to help business migration and programs to promote innovation and manufacturing—all soaked away into Puglia, year after year, hundreds of thousands of dollars, only extracted under questioning from the minister by me during budget estimates to be revealed to the public for the first time.

Then, of course, dinners relating to Fiera del Levante, all the little frills and parties that go around these festivals, with senior government and business leaders and university leaders. Sure, very entertaining nights, with drinks afterwards—all paid for by the hardworking taxpayers of South Australia and for what benefit? Then the handover of donations ($10,000 worth of books, movies and other resources) on 10 September 2007—again, the full costs not disclosed. Plenty of press releases about gifts of Australian culture to Italy, but the full costs not disclosed. Again, more subsequent attendances at Fiera del Levante, the big party.

Then, of course, we had the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Ms Portolesi, on her sojourns to Fiera del Levante and Puglia—official welcomes, lunches, cocktail parties. Oh, it must have been fun! Again, the full costs not disclosed.

Then, of course, as part of this conga line of ministers and Labor members going off to Puglia for the party, we had the Hon. Carmel Zollo MLC from the upper house—off she goes to Fiera del Levante, from 11 to 22 September 2009. A wonderful trip! Full cost, not disclosed. Official lunches. Oh, those official lunches; oh, the Italian food, the Italian wine and the cheeses; all paid for by the South Australian taxpayers. Oh, what a wonderful affair. Again, the full cost not disclosed. SA Brilliant Blend, the cocktail party in Puglia on 14 September; full costs not disclosed.

Then, we ought to get the SA Film Corporation in on this as well—we would not want it to miss out, would we—a taxpayer-funded trip to Puglia following the Cannes Film Festival. In my second life, I want to be employed by the South Australian Film Corporation. We would all love to go to Cannes, with cocktails afterwards in Puglia; wouldn't it be lovely. We could bring the former treasurer Kevin Foley with us for entertainment! We could have all these people with us. It would be a wonderful thing, off we would go. South Australian taxpayers are a generous lot, are they not?

Like the Prince of Camelot, over he galloped into Puglia, throwing out the jewels and the cash, throwing out the money, puffing out his chest, with feathers in his hat, 'Aren't I important?', the Prince of Puglia, the prince from Camelot by the Torrens back here in Adelaide. Meanwhile, back here in Camelot, people with disabilities struggle for wheelchairs and equipment to help them with their needs; back here in Camelot, the poor residents of Ardrossan and various other places struggle to get medical care and small schools in the country are having their funding cut and struggling to survive. Back here in Camelot, South Australian businesses are struggling, exports have declined and are not even back to 2002 levels, and we have the highest taxes in the country.

They have lived through the biggest boom the country has even seen, but, in the meantime, our share of the national export cake has continued to decline from something like 7.2 per cent to a little over 4 per cent. Unemployment is climbing back to record levels back here in Camelot, but he is over there in Puglia, shining in his armour, on his horse dispensing the riches of the state taxpayers of South Australia to the good citizens of Puglia. It is like a plot out some sort of Italian spaghetti movie.

We are pleased to hear that we will have this bloke, the Premier, until 2014 and beyond. It is a bit like Buzz Lightyear; my son has Buzz Lightyear, and do you know what his saying is? It is 'Infinity and beyond!' We will have Mike Rann for 'Infinity and beyond!', like Buzz Lightyear. I guess that means we will have Puglia for 'Infinity and beyond!', because what has he done about cancelling it? Absolutely nothing.

I am the shadow minister for the Department of Trade and Economic Development and I ask silly questions like, 'What are you doing to help small businesses? What are you doing to help farmers? What are you doing to grow our exports?' Do you know what answers I get back? 'Well, it's very important that we go to Puglia for the SA Brilliant Blend cocktail party.' I wonder who is going this year?

Of course, we try to ascertain how much is being spent by trade and economic development, how much is being spent by the education department, how much is being spent by the Premier's department—another little pocket of money—to send officials off to Puglia, but we cannot get straight answers. If we added it all up, it would be millions of dollars over a series of years. They are involved in a spectacular cover-up to conceal from the people of South Australia the true cost of this utter farrago in the home province where the Premier has family connections and where he has a holiday house.

Is the retirement plan of Buzz Lightyear a job as our ambassador to London or somewhere, with a holiday home in Puglia? Is that the plan? 'Just in case "Infinity and beyond" doesn't come off, I will get myself a plum overseas posting, ambassador to Italy or something, and I will have the holiday house in Puglia. By that time, I will have spent so much of the taxpayers' money promoting myself as some sort of a hobnob in Puglia that I will be received like the Prince of Camelot, won't I?' It will be laid on with a trowel.

Then, of course, we had Mr Nicola Sasanelli. I mean nothing personal towards Mr Sasanelli—I am sure he is a lovely gentleman and a professional person—but why are we spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a special envoy to Europe to go off and stitch up these deals? It has been an embarrassment to the government, it has been an embarrassment to the Premier, and it has been an embarrassment to every minister and every Labor MP who agreed to this nonsense. It has been an embarrassment to Labor’s cabinet. It has been an embarrassment in every electorate represented by a Labor MP.

Do not try to tell me that your constituents have not come to see you at the front counter and complained about the Puglia imbroglio. They have, because I can tell you what they say at the front counters in electorate offices represented by the decent folk on this side of the chamber. They think you lot are an absolute joke and they think you have no sense of how to wisely spend their money.

That is why this matter needs to be referred to the Economic and Finance Committee. That is why there needs to be a full accounting of this absolute nonsense, because it sums up the Prince of Camelot, Buzz Lightyear over there—'Infinity and beyond'—to a T. It is a plaything, the taxpayer’s money, the Treasury boxes, it is a plaything for him, 'It's all about me, me, me.' It is not about the good people of South Australia. This Puglia farrago has been an extravagant indulgence from a Premier whose time has come.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mrs Geraghty.

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