House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-07-04 Daily Xml

Contents

COMPULSORY THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:38): My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Can the minister please tell the house whether there will be continuing savings for motorists from the government's CTP reforms?

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) (14:38): I thank the member for Taylor for the question. From this week, South Australian motorists will be able to enjoy substantial savings on their CTP premium when they renew their car rego. In Adelaide, most families will receive a saving on their premium of around $100 for a typical class 1 passenger vehicle for 12 months.

Businesses will also benefit for 12 months, with metropolitan taxis saving more than $1,000 on their premium, large trucks more than $400 and light goods vehicles more than $120. All country motorists will also receive pro rata savings. From 1 July 2014, for the first time, accident victims in South Australia who suffer very serious injuries that they will not recover from will receive lifetime treatment, care and support, regardless of who, or indeed if anyone, was at fault. This support will be funded by a new levy. I note that on the weekend the Leader of the Opposition, while talking about CTP reform, said, 'Come exactly this time next year there's going to be a massive increase in excess of $100.'

Mr PISONI: Point of order, sir. The minister is not responsible for the Leader of the Opposition, and it is debate.

The SPEAKER: I am not sure that it is debate. The member for Unley is right, and I will listen carefully to what the Minister for Health has to say.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: This claim is simply not true. The opposition demonstrating their desperation. They will say and do anything to talk down the government's reforms and deceive South—

Mr PISONI: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: Minister, are you finished?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have more, sir.

The SPEAKER: You have more. Could it bear some relationship to the question?

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Happily, sir. While there will be a new levy to fund care for the catastrophically injured, the CTP premium will drop even more—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

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

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: While there will be a new levy to fund care for the catastrophically injured, the CTP (compulsory third-party) premium will drop even more when it starts in 2014-15 and the combined cost of the CTP premium and the levy will still be about 10 per cent less, on average, than what CTP insurance would have cost without the government's reforms. I repeat: there will be a continued saving for South Australian motorists. I think it is staggering that while the government is taking genuine action to actually do something to reduce the cost of living, all the opposition can do is criticise.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: A point of order, but before you do so, I heard the voice of the Law Society up the back and I think it is the member for Heysen who needs to be warned a second time. Member for Stuart, point of order.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Sir, since you have supported my telepathic ability to predict debate in the past, I ask you to do so again, standing order 98.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to the coda of—

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I have concluded my answer.

The SPEAKER: You have completed the concerto, excellent. The leader.