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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-02-19 Daily Xml
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COMPULSORY THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (14:41): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister update the house on whether other state governments are following South Australia's lead with regard to forming the compulsory third-party insurance scheme to make it more affordable for motorists?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:42): I thank the member for Ashford and acknowledge her interest in delivering a cheaper, more affordable and fairer compulsory third-party scheme for South Australian motorists. Members of this house would be aware that this government is looking to change our CTP scheme to make it fairer and more affordable for South Australian motorists by moving to a no-fault scheme for motorists who are catastrophically injured.

I am pleased to tell the house that on Sunday, New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell announced that his government was also looking to move to a no-fault scheme. According to Mr O'Farrell, the current scheme in place in New South Wales has turned into 'a lawyer's picnic' and their proposed changes could save motorists in New South Wales about 15 per cent a year. In Mr O'Farrell's media release, he says that the current system is 'simply not good enough'. He goes on to say that 'these proposed changes will drive down costs by ensuring the system is focused on those who are injured, not ambulance chasing lawyers'.

Like Mr O'Farrell in New South Wales, the South Australian government is also looking to reform the scheme to make it more affordable for motorists. In November, the Premier and I announced proposed changes which would see South Australian motorists save around $160 over the next two years. The average family with two cars would save more than $300 over two years. The cost of living is a big concern for our community and reducing motor insurance premiums will help just about every South Australian family. On top of this, it is also to be fairer to people who are currently not covered by CTP insurance when they suffer debilitating injuries in single vehicle accidents.

Each year about 40 per cent of catastrophically injured road accident victims are left without compensation from our CTP insurance scheme. Despite announcing our plans to introduce legislation to make this happen some 87 days ago, we are still waiting to hear whether those opposite—

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: The point of order will be that the minister is not responsible to the house for the opposition's policy.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: No; that is one point of order that you can bring to the house's attention, Mr Speaker. The minister is entering debate. The question was simply about what other states are doing.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I got what the question was. Would you please be seated? Could the Minister for Health give us more information about what other states are doing?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Happily, sir. I would also like to address what the opposition is doing, because we have not heard what the opposition's position is on these reforms.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is that you ask the questions, not the minister?

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: The point of order is that the question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Davenport?

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Sorry, Mr Speaker. I was just waiting for the interruptions to stop, which are, of course, unparliamentary. I just make the point of order that the question was not about what the opposition's policy was. The question you quite rightly drew to the attention of the house was: what are other states doing in relation to this matter? The minister is not addressing the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: Yes, thank you. I have got that. Minister, you might wrap up.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I might wrap up. I simply make the point that if it is good enough for the New South Wales Liberal Party to support these types of reforms, what is wrong with the South Australian Liberal Party?

The SPEAKER: I think the minister has finished.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Mr Speaker, I draw to your attention the practice of ministers using the last 30 seconds to have a go at the opposition, which is totally unparliamentary in a form of debate. The process needs to be—

The Hon. J.D. Hill interjecting:

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

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Thank you. The process needs to be, of course, that the minister addresses the substance of the question for the whole four minutes, and does not just have a go at the opposition.

The SPEAKER: Yes, of course, we all think it is deplorable that ministers tip a bucket in the last 30 seconds. The Leader of the Opposition.

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