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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-05-18 Daily Xml
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EASLING, MR T.

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): My question is again to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney-General explain why the government does not comment on allegations made against defamation victim Tom Easling, a matter which is not before the courts, but the government does comment on allegations against alleged assault victim, the Minister for Police, a matter which is before the courts?

Yesterday, the Attorney-General, in answer to a question directed to the Minister for Families and Communities about defamation victim Tom Easling, stated, 'It is inappropriate in those circumstances to be examining this matter.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Attorney-General.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Minister for Urban Development, Planning and the City of Adelaide, Minister for Tourism, Minister for Food Marketing) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for the question. As the honourable member would be aware, we understand that there are matters before the court, or shortly to be before the court, in relation to proceedings which were issued—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You have asked the question.

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Well, the honourable member has information that I don't. My understanding is—

Mrs Redmond: What, you're saying there is no application before the court?

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No. Can I, Madam Speaker, just answer the question please?

The SPEAKER: Yes.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The point of it is basically this: when you issue proceedings and judgement is signed, and somebody says, 'Look, I am challenging the signing of a judgement,' that matter is before the court, because the–

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Let me explain—because the issue about why and how that matter came into being is a matter which will be agitated before the court—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I understood the statement that the honourable member made yesterday was to the effect that she had given instructions for that to occur.

Mr Pisoni: What she says and what she does are two different things, John; you know that.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I'm not even going to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: If you want me to—

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for MacKillop, you're warned!

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No; actually, I was thinking of all the people in this chamber to interject with that who better but the member for Unley? As far as I am concerned, I intend to say nothing about any proceedings that are in the court, or being foreshadowed to be before the courts, and, as I said yesterday, the statement that was given to the house yesterday, which was before question time, was to the effect that instructions had been issued to solicitors for the honourable member. Now—

Mrs Redmond interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You have asked your question.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: As far as I'm concerned that's where the matter finishes.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Torrens.

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