House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-07-23 Daily Xml

Contents

CHILD PROTECTION

Mr PISONI (Unley) (15:06): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. How does the minister justify Jadynne Harvey continuing as her chief of staff, given Mr Debelle's findings that Mr Harvey fell short in his duty to his then minister?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (15:06): I thank the honourable member for his question. Ministerial advisers are engaged by the Premier, and the same remarks that I have made consistently on numerous occasions about this matter apply to the circumstances of Mr Harvey.

Just to repeat them, for the honourable member's perspective: of course there have been findings that a mistake has been made; that has been drawn to the attention of the relevant adviser. My assessment was that this particular adviser had given excellent service to both the government and to the state.

I do want to say something about Mr Harvey: his work during the Mullighan inquiry to support the survivors of child sexual abuse is one of the great contributions that have actually been made in the Public Service in South Australia. I think it is utterly outrageous that individual staff members are having their names dragged through the mud just for purely political purposes.

The Hon. I.F. Evans: Check the Hansard!

The SPEAKER: Earlier, the member for Finniss took a point of order saying that I should require the Premier to withdraw and apologise for imputing improper motives to the opposition. He has kindly supplied me with Hansard. The Premier says, 'Don't you impugn my credit when you have no basis for doing so,' to which the member for Finniss replies:

...I believe the Premier was imputing improper motives against members of the opposition and I ask him to withdraw.

Of course, the correct preposition should be 'imputing proper motives to', but I refrain from warning the member for Finniss, and I do not warn the Premier, nor require him to withdraw and apologise.