House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-06-23 Daily Xml

Contents

CHILD'S DEATH

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg) (15:21): My question again is to the Minister for Families and Communities. Was the legal advice from the—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: Was the legal advice from the minister's 'in-house counsel' given—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Crown law.

Ms CHAPMAN: In her department.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Crown law.

Ms CHAPMAN: In her department.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Crown Solicitor's Office.

Ms CHAPMAN: Read the Hansard from yesterday, Tom.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: Was the legal advice from the minister's 'in-house counsel' given verbally or in writing, in respect of the five-year-old boy who died in a housing trust property two weeks ago?

The Hon. M.J. Atkinson interjecting:

Ms CHAPMAN: Maybe she can answer it. Is she able to answer it, do you think, Michael, or do you want to help?

Members interjecting:

Ms CHAPMAN: Do you want a conference first, or she'll answer the question?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:22): The questions that the member for Bragg asked today are nothing short of offensive, extremely offensive.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: She comes in here trying to make assertions that somehow this is about protecting me, and questioning my integrity, and my commitment to protecting children here in South Australia and I find her offensive. She does nothing but embarrass herself—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —in the house. She does nothing but throw innuendo and muck.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the Minister for Defence Industries!

Ms CHAPMAN: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: I hear what the minister says. The question was whether this advice was verbal—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: —or in writing, and if the minister is offended by a question asking whether the advice she has received is verbal or in writing, if she is offended by that in some way, I am happy to say that I'm sorry you're offended—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms CHAPMAN: —but that was the question: was it verbal or was it in writing?

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The minister has chosen to answer the question in the way she chooses.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! What is your point of order, Minister for Transport?

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: I just need a point of clarification. I would assume that any advice, whether in writing or not, would have been verbal, otherwise it might be in pictures.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!