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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-02-06 Daily Xml
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STATE ECONOMY

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): My question is to the Premier. Can the Treasurer update the house on what level total government financial liabilities will peak at, and when this will occur?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for his question. In the 2015-16 year, our total government debt will peak at 12.3 per cent of gross state product.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It's in the order of $14 million.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That's what I said—in the order of $14 million, 12.3 per cent of gross state product, in the order of almost three times less than what was the case in the mid-90s and about six times less than was the case under the Playford era. These are manageable levels of debt supporting strong infrastructure growth about the future prosperity of our state. If you want to know what the future is under the Liberal Party of South Australia, just insert—

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: A point of order from the leader.

Mr MARSHALL: My point of order is relevance—98. My question specifically talked about total government financial liabilities.

The SPEAKER: As distinct from debt.

Mr MARSHALL: As distinct from debt, so if the Premier could outline—

The SPEAKER: That's clear. Now we're all clear on the question; thank you for restating it. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The relevant metric for the purposes of analysis about the health of the economy is the net public sector debt which is something that we are seeking to deal with. We have forecast over the forward estimates surpluses which will permit us to pay down that debt over a period of time.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Maybe if the honourable member could perhaps hang around for the answer and pay some respect to the house rather than scurrying off like a cockroach into the corner.

The SPEAKER: Premier, you may not refer to any other member of the house as an animal, of which I believe a cockroach is one, so I would ask you to withdraw.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I do withdraw, sir, but it is usually a common courtesy when asking a question to sit quietly and listen to an answer rather than turn one's back on the person who is seeking to answer your question.

Ms Chapman: Like you're doing right now.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, I'm addressing the person who is asking the question, directing my remarks through the chair.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Another point of order, member for Stuart.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Mr Speaker, I don't believe that the Premier actually followed your ruling and withdrew his comment.

The SPEAKER: My understanding was that the Premier withdrew it because it was clearly unparliamentary, and I regard it as standing withdrawn.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of clarification, sir: if a member is asked to withdraw and they say, 'I withdraw, but' and then qualify their withdrawal, is that withdrawal or is it not, because that's what the Premier did.

The SPEAKER: I don't think the Premier went on to say—

Mr WILLIAMS: He did utter the word 'but'.

The SPEAKER: Member for MacKillop, I don't think the Premier went on to say, having withdrawn the imputation that the leader was one form of an animal, that he was another form of animal, so I think I regard it as unconditionally withdrawn. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What I concluded by saying is that we are prudently addressing our finances by forecasting operating surpluses over the forward estimates, which will assist us to pay down debt, but what is at stake here are the projects which are funded by this debt: the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the South Road Superway, the rail revitalisation, the Northern Expressway, the Southern Expressway, the Adelaide Oval, and the future—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: If those opposite had their way, there would be headlines here saying South Australia rather than Victoria is at a standstill.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

Mr MARSHALL: Supplementary, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Just a minute. The deputy leader is on her last warning. The bases are loaded. If there is another transgression, I will have to ask her—

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: You said that last time.

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Newland to order.

Ms Bedford: He has been doing it all day.

The SPEAKER: Indeed. He has been doing it all day. The leader has a supplementary question.

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