HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Subject Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-05-20 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

Address in Reply

Address in Reply

Adjourned debate on motion for adoption (resumed on motion).

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:46): Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for the opportunity to say a few words on the Governor's address a couple of weeks ago. I must admit that I found it completely void of direction and a completely useless document, given that it was drafted by the government, which had no idea where it was going.

Members interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: If you want a go, you can have a go in a minute, but I have the floor, okay? You have been here for about one second and you know everything. You were just done over by the member for Davenport, so you might just choose to shut up for a while. I thought I would read the last little bit on page 18 of the Governor's speech:

My government will deliver a bold agenda that puts people first—

that is, them—get them all in their good jobs first—

and creates sustainable jobs for the future.

It will govern for all South Australians, and restore their sense of financial and physical security, their aspirations and wellbeing, to the centre of our political discourse.

What do we have today? We have this morally bankrupt group on the other side who have no idea what they are doing. They come in and belt the daylights out of the opposition over the federal government's budget without any sort of understanding of where Australia is at. Here we are, and this government over here has already put us $14 billion in debt over the last 12 years. The bovver boys are gone and we have a new mob of bovver boys.

Seriously, where is the plan for the future of South Australia? Apart from running around and stitching up the member for Frome and the Nyrstar development—which obviously we support, and that has never been in doubt—there is no vision whatsoever, no vision and no direction. They did not expect to be there and they have no plan on where to go. It is pathetic—absolutely pathetic. They want to get out and look at how things are going outside the metropolitan area and get a handle on how difficult it is in rural and regional South Australia. We have a number of regional and rural South Australians here on this side of the chamber, and we know full well how things are out there. The first thing they could do would be organise an inch of rain because that would help for a start, I might add.

Since this government was sworn in, all I have seen is the Premier run around and slot people, and there was no greater person to get slotted than Rod Hook last week. He absolutely worked his backside off for South Australia and did everything. I was on the Public Works Committee, and he came in and took questions; he took all the bad stuff and gave out all the good stuff. Whenever there was a problem, who did they trot out? Rod Hook. Where was the new transport minister the other week when things were going pear-shaped? Nowhere to be seen. Who do they trot out? Rod Hook.

So, last week Rod Hook gets slotted and I felt very sorry for him. He was a particularly good public servant who did a terrific job, and he should not have to go out in such circumstances. I think you stand condemned on the other side of the house, and I am looking forward to the day when the current Premier gets slotted. By God, it will be on when he gets slotted—and he will get slotted all right! No Premier leaves in peace, and no Premier leaves on their own terms. It will all end in tears, and when he goes it has to be, 'Look out!' as far as I am concerned.

They are all talk. They have no plan. There is no substance. They have no direction. Heaven help South Australia if this mob lasts another four years. I really sincerely worry about the future for my children, my children's children and other members on this side whose families want some future in South Australia. There is no future with this lot, absolutely no future. They are worn-out union hacks brought in with no idea of where they are going, and I just shake my head in disbelief.

I would like to know, Madam Deputy Speaker, going back to the Governor's speech, when you are going to do something about CFS volunteers? When are you going to take action on their potential-for-cancer claims, because you haven't done too much.

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: Gabble, gabble, gabble comes from the front bench. I am still waiting to hear something of substance, because you did not want to do it in the lead up to the election—you wouldn't have a bar of it—and, suddenly, you start quivering and wavering and, 'Oh, well, we may have to do something.' Well, you haven't done anything.

While I am on the subject of the CFS, you continually whittle away at their budget. There are members on this side of the chamber, and there are probably a couple on that side as well, in CFS brigades, and I know that they are continually under budget pressure. They just get treated like dirt, in my view. They don't get treated properly. The whole thing needs a jolly good shake-up. I could probably use more dramatic language than that but, in the circumstances—

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: Well, you know, I could use sheep yard language to describe you mob, but I won't. We have had some good contributions from some new members in this place—I will say some—and we have another coming after mine, which I look forward to hearing, from the member for Mitchell.

An honourable member interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: Yes, I am coming to him. I look forward to hearing his contribution. He is one of a number of terrific members who have come into this house. I have known him and his family for a long time, and I look forward to what he has to say. I am not sure that he is looking forward to saying it, but I am sure it will be good when he gets up.

I would like to pick up on some comments that the member for Bright made a week or two ago, and this really was enlightening, I think. He talked about the Public Service and the fact that, if you are in there, you are under pressure to join the ALP if you want to get anywhere—

Members interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: You can chuckle, but I did not hear you chuckling when the member for Bright said it a couple of weeks ago. I didn't hear you chuckling then. You all had your heads down.

Mr Picton interjecting:

Mr PENGILLY: Here's the rocket scientist from Kaurna, straight out of the minister's office into parliament, swept in with a heap of union support. We will wait to see how you perform, son. As I said, you have been here a minute.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You should refer to members by their title, not as 'son'.

Mr PENGILLY: I did refer to him as the member for Kaurna. The member for Bright hit it on the head when he talked about the Public Service. It is moribund in South Australia. You have slotted one of your best performers, in Rod Hook, absolutely slotted him. I wonder who is going to be next. I know many public servants—many, many—and I can tell you that they are not game to open their mouths because it is a campaign of fear run by this government and the overlords and the mandarins in the Public Service who look over the top of them, and they feel threatened.

Why should they have to join the ALP to get ahead? Why should they have to do that, as the member for Bright says? Madam Deputy Speaker, I see you look away. Go back and read the member for Bright's speech. He has come straight out of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and he knows what is going on. I thought his protestations were absolutely spot on when he spoke about that.

The other subject that he raised concerns the local government sector, and in due course I would like to hear what the government is going to do about this. The member for Bright was pretty scathing of local government. I believe that other members in this place know exactly what he was talking about and I suspect, from my experience and from talking with other members in this place on both sides of the chamber, that 80 or 90 per cent of the headaches that come through our electorate office doors are local government problems that are not being fixed up by local government. I see nods and smiles around the chamber which indicate some form of agreement. I would like to know just what this government proposes to do with local government. I am not going to drill down in detail—I intend to have some words to say at another time on aspects of local government—but my view is that it needs a great big shakeup.

We heard what former ministers in this place have said about the City of Adelaide; they did nothing. Interestingly enough, the Joint Parliamentary Services Committee, which I was on in the last parliament, had the CEO and the Lord Mayor come in and try to give us a lecture about what we were to do around the streets of North Terrace and King William Street; that was fairly interesting. My view is that it needs a shakeup. The LGA needs a shakeup; that is not performing well. Remember, it is paid for by the ratepayers of South Australia, and that includes everybody in this place as well. The whole thing needs a bomb under it.

We had a round of amalgamations in around 1996, and I am not so sure whether they were altogether successful, or whatever, but they never saved the poor old ratepayer a cracker. Amalgamations may not be the way to go. Our policy is no forced amalgamations; that is loud and clear. I think that if the new Minister for Local Government, the member for Frome, is fair dinkum about wanting to do something, he ought to grab a hold of it by the scruff of the neck and give it a good shake. We hear day after day after day about problems, from people who come into members' offices, in the local government sector, whether it be planning, health, roads or whatever.

I do not want to sound as though I am bashing local government, because I am not, but it really has to lift its game. I look forward to the government coming into this place and telling us what they are going to do about it. Have they got any plans? Who knows? I do not think they have, quite frankly. I believe that the ratepayers of South Australia deserve better than what they are getting from some councils. There are some that are doing a terrific job. I have five councils in my electorate, and a number of them do a pretty reasonable job. There are a couple of others that are basket cases, but we will talk about that at another time. I was interested in what the member for Bright had to say about that. It was a perception that was picked up by him, and I think it was the most useful part of the debate.

I listened to the member for Davenport a while ago having a few words to say about the other side. I believe that what happened with the new RAH is a disgrace in so far that it was never brought to the Public Works Committee of parliament—$4 billion of borrowed money. It may be a terrific institution—and I hope it is when it is finished because it is well under construction now—but the very fact that they never came to the Public Works Committee of this parliament smacked of hypocrisy and it smacked of hidden agendas.

The perpetrators of that are gone from this place now, unfortunately, but we were never able to discuss it. Four billion dollars, the greatest outlay of money in the state's history—apart from servicing the debt left by this lot in the past—never came to the Public Works Committee, and I think that is an outrageous disgrace. They played off at the time the fact that it was a public-private partnership. Well, what a joke. Imagine what we may have been able to get if we had been able to view it and discuss it with public servants and others, including Department of Health personnel, and find out what was at the bottom of it. We know nothing about that deal.

There may be a couple sitting in this place that know a bit about it, but I can tell you the rest of us know absolutely nothing. We do not know the deal, the contract, the obligations, and we do not know whether it is over budget, under budget. Who would know? There is no reporting to this institution of the Parliament of South Australia—no reporting whatsoever. We do not get quarterly reports about the public works on the Royal Adelaide Hospital, like we should, like we get on everything else. And bear in mind that generally speaking the Public Works Committee of this parliament is pretty much bipartisan in its approach and the way it deals with matters. It is a committee that inquires into government spending on public works, purely and simply, and that is what it should do. But it works very well. It will be interesting to see how the committee works for the new parliament. However, there is no excuse whatsoever for not having the Royal Adelaide Hospital come to us.

Another festering sore in my electorate and in a number of other rural electorates is the issue of the marine park sanctuary zones. That was a huge con job done on the fishing industry of South Australia, both recreational and professional. The people involved in that should be absolutely castigated for the web of untruths and whatnot that they put over the good people of South Australia in relation to that issue. I thought it was outrageous and disgraceful, and the ramifications are still to come on that particular matter, and we will see where it leads. I am a little bit reluctant to say too much because there is a motion before the house which we will speak about.

Once again in the Governor's speech the government made a few references to employment in South Australia. As I said at the start, the major thing the government wants to do at the moment is to make sure they are all gainfully employed on the other side and getting as much out of it as they can. I think the absolutely hypocritical actions that took place in another place with the election of the President are typical of where the Labor Party stands in South Australia: they are all about themselves. They are not about the ordinary taxpayers of South Australia. They are looking after their own jobs. The media certainly gave that a hiding, and well deserved.

I felt very sorry for the Hon. John Gazzola. He is an honourable person. From what I saw and understood from members from both sides, he was an honourable chap and did a good job as President, yet he was slotted: another Weatherill slotting. One from the left who got slotted, too, so the Premier does not care who he slots, his own faction or any other faction. He will lop their heads off one by one. That is what he is doing. Employment of youth in this state and where they are going concern me greatly. In my own family, at least two of my children are looking to go interstate because the opportunities—

The Hon. P. Caica: To get away from their dad?

Mr PENGILLY: No, they are not, actually. They keep coming to him because they want a bit more.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member should not respond to interjections and there should be no interjections.

The Hon. P. Caica: I apologise, ma'am.

Mr PENGILLY: That's alright.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Don't respond to me either.

Mr PENGILLY: It really concerns me that the youth of our state—and it is very close to home here—are seeking to leave the state because they see no future here. I think it is an absolute disgrace. The numbers pile up month after month. Youth employment is a huge concern, as is every other age group for that matter.

I will turn back to the election. I, along with just about every South Australian, I suspect, was appalled at the way Carolyn Habib was treated in the electorate of Elder for which she stood. I thought the attempts to cast a slur on Carolyn Habib were beneath contempt and were absolutely appalling. I do not know why—and they may have done—some members on the other side never came out and spoke up about that.

Your heads ought to hang in shame at the way Carolyn Habib was treated. She is a wonderful woman. She put her name up as a candidate for the Parliament of South Australia and there was this orchestrated campaign directed to absolutely put a slur on her heritage and her surname and accuse her of something of which nothing could be further from the truth. You on the other side should walk out in disgust.

It is unfortunate that the South Australian Labor Party stooped to such a low ebb in their treatment of Carolyn Habib. It was unfortunate; it was a sad day for politics in Australia and, more particularly, it was a sad day for politics in South Australia.

I cannot believe that the Australian Labor Party (South Australian Division) did this. I am given to understand that it was all organised by the SDA—the SDA were the ones behind it; they should hang their heads in shame as well. I am not getting a lot of interjections; everyone has their heads down on the other side, and so they should have.

The Hon. P. Caica: I'm listening to you.

Mr PENGILLY: Thank you; good. I wish to mention a couple of issues in my electorate which are being impacted on by this current state Labor government. I have spoken about it before, and at the risk of being repetitive, I raise the issue of the funding withdrawal to the Fleurieu Cancer Support Group, and—

Mr Pederick: Shame!

Mr PENGILLY: The member for Hammond chimes in, 'Shame!' as it is affecting his electorate as well. These volunteer drivers bring people to Adelaide for cancer treatment. Not everyone can live in the city, and it is an absolute disgrace that the funding which allows this service to operate has been withdrawn. It simply cannot operate on volunteers alone, and it cannot operate on donations from the public. There are far too many organisations that need volunteer funding. I speak particularly in reference to the member for Hammond, who has any number in his electorate that need funding. The Southern Cancer Support Group's mobile service, which brings people back and forth to Adelaide, is something that is absolutely critical.

Along with that is the funding for the Encounter Centre in Victor Harbor, which also helps people with disabilities from the electorate of Hammond as well as the entire south coast. It is a sensational place that has been running for decades, and it is at risk of closing its doors on 30 June, after decades of being in existence. The service caters for people with disabilities who have somewhere to go during the course of a week from day to day; they do activities and go on trips while being looked after. It gives them a quality of life which they would not get if they were stuck home, unable to go anywhere.

I have written to the respective ministers on this; I am yet to receive a response, I might add, but I understand that they take time. Again, I raise those two issues in here. I could go on and on and on and on and on. I know that I have to wind up as there are others in this place, but I would also like to talk about community housing and social housing. I have written to the minister about this matter as well and signed off only today.

On Kangaroo Island, the KI Community Housing Association has a number of units in different towns. In Kingscote, there are six units that have been in existence for a while. They have people in them, and I think the average age of residents is 85. When these places were built, there were some mistakes made in the location of the driveway, the construction, drainage and whatnot, so the community housing body requested that they be fixed. I am told Housing SA have decided that they will build another series of units and take these people, who are all comfortably ensconced in these units, down there.

There was no consultation, and they were not given any opportunity to comment on the plans. They are in the twilight of their lives; they include war widows, and one lady who is nearly blind. They were told that they are going to have to go. They were not and have not been told whether they can go and come back; they do not know.

I met with them last week, and they told me that they had discussed this with the local builder, and the local builder said that he could do the job while they were still there in their units. They did not have to move; they did not have to go anywhere; he could do the job, do the concreting and do all the work that was required, and they could stay there. They said that was terrific, because those of them who drive were quite happy to put their cars out on the street for the couple of weeks it would take to do the work.

If this is the way this government, which supposedly cares for people in those sorts of facilities, is going to treat them, the minister needs to make a good inquiry or a take good look into that particular issue. I know the minister will have a look at this, because the minister is new in the job. I raise that because I do not know where else it is happening, but it is a major concern.

I could go on and on; however, I won't. I am highly bemused at the self-serving hypocrisy of the Labor Party in government in South Australia over its absolute failure to find any faults whatsoever with the former Rudd/Gillard government. I mean, come on, they left a mess, they left a huge mess. Everything that is wrong in Australia I can attribute to those years of turmoil. Well, nearly everything. For this government to try to lambast the state opposition on decisions made by the current federal government is a complete joke. I have not heard the name Rudd mentioned. I have not heard the name Gillard mentioned. Not at all. Where have you all gone? Can you remember that last September they got thrown out of government? Why? Because they were a mob of disastrous bunglers who nearly destroyed this nation.

With those few words, I return to the speech by His Excellency and I say again: it is 18 or 20 pages of nothing. No plan for the future, no design, nothing. Where is this government going? I look forward to listening to other members' contributions, no more so than the member for Mitchell.

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (16:11): I am pleased to support the motion and in doing so I congratulate you, Deputy Speaker, on your elevation.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before you continue, member for Mitchell, may I remind the house that this is the member's first speech.

Mr WINGARD: Thank you. I acknowledge your elevation to such an important and prestigious position. I am sure you will do an admirable job serving this house and the people of South Australia. I also join with others in congratulating all the new members on both sides of the house upon their election to the South Australian parliament, in particular I must congratulate the new members on my side of the house. It is a pleasure to join my new colleagues, the members for Hartley, Schubert, Mount Gambier and also my close friend, supporter, sounding board and electoral neighbour, the member for Bright. It has been a pleasure to work so closely with the member for Bright over the past few years and I look forward to extending that working relationship and friendship for many years to come.

I also acknowledge our new member in the Legislative Council the Hon. Andrew McLachlan and I offer him my most sincere congratulations as well. I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my best wishes to the member for Fisher and his family. He is another of my electoral neighbours and I wish him a full and speedy recovery so that I can work with him in the future as well. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and hearing from the Governor at the opening of the 53rd parliament.

I am fortunate to have met the Governor and his wife, Mrs Liz Scarce, on a number of occasions. Can I say what a superb job they have done representing South Australia for almost seven years. It is my absolute privilege to be elected as the member for Mitchell and I would like to thank everyone for putting their trust in me to represent them as their local member of parliament. Serving the local community is the essence of this role and it is one that I am thoroughly enjoying and one I truly relish.

The electorate of Mitchell runs south of the city from Oaklands Park and Warradale in the north, in a corridor through Dover Gardens, Seacombe Gardens and Sturt. From there it travels uphill to Seaview Downs, Seacombe Heights, Darlington and O'Halloran Hill. You will then reach the suburban heartland that is Trott and Sheidow parks, before working your way further south into the townships of Old Reynella and Reynella. Mitchell touches on the boundaries of six other electorates, making it somewhat unique. Having so many neighbours means that the flow of residents through Mitchell is like no other. It makes for a diverse and caring community which has interests and relationships spreading beyond those confined to boundaries set by the Electoral Commission.

Deputy Speaker, this is the point where every member talks about their electorate being the best electorate in the state. I could prattle on about Mitchell's landmark features, from the SA Aquatic Centre to the expansive Westfield Shopping Centre, the O'Halloran Hill Recreation Park, the Field River, Glenthorne Farm and the rich history that is wrapped up in the wine regions of Dover Gardens, Reynella and Old Reynella, but I won't. Instead, I am going to break with convention.

I am not going to enter into the debate about which electorate is best, even though I think it is a debate I can win. What I will do is let you in on the real secret which makes the electorate of Mitchell so special: it is the people. Mitchell has the best collection of people in South Australia. I believe they are people whose views reflect the thoughts and ideals of the wider South Australian community.

Before I tell you about the great people of Mitchell, I would like to take a bit of an opportunity here today to share with you why I have worked so hard to represent the people of Mitchell in this parliament. The electorate was named after Sir William Mitchell. He was a professor of English language, literature and mental and moral philosophy at Adelaide University. Sir William's love for the English language and the fact that I am now the member for Mitchell would carry a great deal of irony for many of my schoolteachers because English was not my strong suit.

At school I struggled with the 'big three'—I apologise, member for Heysen. I struggled in writing, spelling and public speaking. That may surprise some people here, given that prior to entering this house I was a journalist and television presenter. Anyone who knew me at school would tell you that journalism and politics were not the top two suggestions by my careers councillor; in fact, they did not make the top 50. However, I believe that confronting your weaknesses and making them strengths is very strong in a person.

I was also lucky that my mother raised me to believe that I could achieve anything if I set my mind to it. She taught me that hard work, belief and making the most of your opportunities were the recipe for success. As is most often the case with lessons you learn from your parents, they are not truly realised until later in life. So, I thank my mother for that lesson now, and it is a value I work hard to instil in my four children.

I was also fortunate to have some wonderful teachers and friends who invested in me and were very supportive of me throughout my school years; they invested in me a lot. I would like to thank Lyle and Sylvana Murphy, David Wiese, Roger Parsons, Damian Hill, Nick Joy and numerous others from Brighton High School for their efforts, patience and persistence.

There is a part of me that would like to think that, over the years, these teachers would have used my story as an incentive for some of their students. I can hear them talking to their class now; they would say, 'If Corey Wingard can be a TV reporter, you can achieve anything.' Now they would be saying, 'If Corey Wingard can be a member of parliament, you can achieve absolutely anything!'—and they would be right. I believe that anyone can achieve anything. Like my mum says, you just need hard work, belief in yourself and to take your opportunities.

My early years were spent growing up in country South Australia. My parents are from the Housing Trust precinct in Port Lincoln. I was born in Cleve on the West Coast, and I started school in Quorn in the north of the state and spent the bulk of my primary school years living on Kangaroo Island.

When mum and dad separated, dad moved to Kingston in the South-East. My brother and I visited every holidays, which helped us maintain our healthy country values. Kangaroo Island was the perfect place to be a kid. You never had to lock your bike, you had the freedom to explore and learn, through getting your hands dirty, and you survived, despite collecting a few hard knocks along the way. You could run, swim, fish and play to your heart's content as long as you were home by the time the streetlights came on.

I take this opportunity to note that there must be something very healthy and inspiring in this rural upbringing because there are now three members on this side of the chamber who have KI roots. It is my privilege to join the member for Bragg and the member for Finniss as part of a Kangaroo Island connection.

While my island upbringing was 30-odd years ago when child safety and child protection were taken for granted, unfortunately now it is a major concern. It was a particularly big issue in my electorate in the lead-up to the last election, given the findings of the Debelle report. Child protection and education are two areas I am very passionate about and something I will fight for especially during my time in this place.

I was pleased to hear the Governor speak of a focus on a renewal of the education sector in his speech. I know that the education portfolio has been handballed through a number of ministers on the benches opposite in recent times, and there has also been a rotation of chief executives. This has left many parents in my electorate quite perplexed about who is actually calling the shots on their children's future. I applaud the Premier for seeking to give the necessary attention to this very important sector, and I plan to keep him to account to make sure that South Australia lifts its outcomes in national testing results.

After my primary school years on Kangaroo Island, I moved to Adelaide and settled into Oaklands Park. As I have mentioned, I went to Brighton High School. It was the early 1980s, and it was the time when I was introduced to city life. It is funny now, but I remember traffic lights, department store shopping, league football and 'red hen' trains all being quite fascinating. Adelaide was a vibrant city and a key capital city on the national landscape. Adelaide was mentioned in the same breath as Sydney and Melbourne. We were often talked about in front of Brisbane and Perth but, sadly, that has all changed.

Our state debt continues to escalate uncontrollably up toward $14 billion, with continued wasteful spending from this Labor government. After 12 years of a state Labor government, South Australia is struggling to stay in front of Tasmania in so many of the key indicators that measure economic prosperity for the states. This is a fact that must change if we hope to keep our young people here and ultimately lure good people back to SA. It disappoints me to note that we have had in excess of 33,000 net interstate migrants over the life of this Labor government; that is 33,000 more people leaving South Australia than moving here to set up home. On a personal level, I am sad to say that just last week my cousin and his family added themselves to that figure. The exodus must stop.

Going to school in the eighties was a brilliant time. It was a time when the mullet haircut was cool and acid-washed jeans were trendy—or so I tried to tell people. It was also when I started in the workforce. My first job was collecting paper money, followed by a few years at Foodland stacking shelves and packing groceries, before I landed a job at The Athlete's Foot in Westfield Marion, the retail heartland of the Mitchell electorate.

At the time, I was getting paid to sell sports gear and I could not have been happier, but in hindsight it was so much more than a job. The store owner is Geoff Roberts, a great person working hard in Mitchell, and he is someone I still call a friend today. He taught me how hard you have to work to earn a dollar in business. As a business owner, he carries a large risk. A big part of his reward was employing so many young people from the local area. For that, I thank him, and it is a credit that he is still employing young people in Mitchell today.

Working at Westfield Marion made me part of a bigger family, and I soon became friends with many other store owners, staff and the security team. One of the security team from that period, Graham Miller, now owns Spargo's cafe in the Marion centre just around from the movie theatre steps. Graham is another person taking a risk, working hard to make his business a success and also giving employment opportunities to 20 to 30 staff from in and around the Mitchell electorate; Rhett Biglands and his Nike store, Lucy and Roger Trombetta in their Hyde Leather shop, and Marco Venturini at Hairmesphere are doing likewise. They are all great people investing in South Australia. They are putting their money on the line to run a business and create opportunities for our state.

I read with great interest yesterday on the front page of The Advertiser how SA's retail environment was described as 'anti-business, uncompetitive, inefficient, over-regulated, overtaxed and out of touch with economic reality'. The quote from Gilmour's Comfort Shoes was alarming. They have stores in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, but in their submission to the Productivity Commission they said that 'it is easier to set up business in the US than it is in Adelaide'. That is what is hurting growth in this state and it has been limiting employment opportunities here for the past decade.

Under this state Labor government more than 21,300 jobs have been lost in Adelaide's southern region in the past 12 months. The jobless rate has jumped, from 4.2 per cent to 7.9 per cent in that period according to the ABS Labour Force survey. With all the talk about the high unemployment rate in the north of the city, I am concerned those opposite have forgotten about the south. Well, that will not happen while I am here.

We must free business of the excessive burdens that are choking South Australia's productivity. We must help them flourish so that they can sustainably employ more people. I speak to business owners every day who want to employ more people, but they cannot because the cost of doing business in this state is too high. We need to help businesses create more jobs by cutting red tape and slicing payroll tax or 'jobs tax', as it has been adequately renamed by the member for Bright in his maiden speech.

I call on the Premier to move on these measures quickly and I call on him to make sure he remembers the people of Mitchell and the people in the south. There are many other businesses stretching through my electorate in Mitchell right down to Reynella and Old Reynella. They all work equally hard and face the same concerns.

After finishing high school, I made my way to university and completed a degree in sports science. Upon graduating, I worked for the SANFL, coaching and teaching in communities right across South Australia. It was the ideal job, especially while I played reserves footy for both Glenelg and Sturt. My playing career, however, was stifled by injury, but ultimately ended by a lack of talent. Many of my mates were called into the Adelaide Crows inaugural squad, but that lack of talent issue I mentioned saw me overlooked, so I decided on a new challenge.

I decided to become a sports journalist so that I could travel the globe and watch all the world's great sporting events from seats money could not buy. The short story is that I did that. I set a goal and I achieved it. I have been lucky to witness events like Wimbledon, the French Open, Ladies Day at Royal Ascot, AFL grand finals, grands prix, the Cricket World Cup at Lord's, and many more. I share this story to make my mum's point again—that if you work hard, believe and make the most of your opportunities you can achieve anything.

When I moved to Sydney in search of my big break in television, I had to start at the bottom. After working as a runner on a few major sporting events, I was offered a job as a receptionist at Channel Nine's Wide World of Sports. For the record, I was considered the ugliest receptionist they had ever had, but it was a foot in the door and it was the start of a fun-filled and rewarding media career.

After nearly a decade in Sydney and Melbourne, I returned home for family reasons. I was lucky to land one of the rare jobs in television in Adelaide. I worked for Network Ten on the news and on numerous national events. I also produced and hosted a local footy show with a good friend of mine, Poppy, which was called Simply Footy. While I am proud of what I achieved at Ten, it has been sad to see career opportunities in television diminish in Adelaide over the past 15 years, and it is not just the media; it is a story I hear from so many industries.

The fact is a vast number of opportunities are now only on the eastern seaboard. I strongly believe this is something that has to change. We have to be able to generate more career opportunities here in South Australia, especially for our young. As I stressed earlier, we need to engage with business and give them an economic environment that will allow them to flourish and create more opportunities. I am very passionate about this and it is a key reason why I am standing here today.

For those of you who know me, there will be little surprise that I will spend some time talking about my affinity with local sporting and community groups in and around the electorate of Mitchell. This leads me back to the secret of Mitchell, the people. Sporting clubs are a haven for great people. They are home to countless brilliant volunteers, people who give their time generously to help educate the next generation and work tirelessly to build better communities. My electorate is home to the reigning Southern Football League premiers, the Reynella Football Club. Mitchell residents also flow to the Brighton club which is my club, Cove, O'Sullivan Beach, Lonsdale and Marion clubs among others. These clubs are led by outstanding presidents, Dave Denyer at the Wineflies, Kym Steer at the Bombers, Dale Champion at the Cobras, David Schultz at the Lions, and Min Adams at the Rams.

It is not just football that has great people. I have seen Andy Fry, the president of Cove FC, and his wife Michelle work tirelessly to change the culture of their club. It has been amazing to watch. They have brought in a new positive approach and all their teams have shown results and improved their community. The Marion Mall Walkers are another incredibly positive bunch who regularly power their way around the shopping centre. If you ever make it to the mall early on a Monday, Thursday or Friday you might see them striding out in their red shirts, and good luck keeping up with Pat Thalbourne, last year's Walker of the Year. She is a real goer and a lovely person.

Even though Mitchell is landlocked, there is still a strong affinity with the water. Many residents make the short journey from Mitchell to one of a number of surf lifesaving clubs stretched along the coast. Away from the beach Mitchell is arguably the home of the learn-to-swim programs in the southern region, from Juan Castro's swim school on Sturt Road to State Swim around the corner on Morphett Road and down to Sherriffs Road swimming centre at the other end of the electorate in Reynella. I think I can confidently say that if you grew up in or around Mitchell and you can swim freestyle there is a fair chance you attended one of these facilities. These centres are loaded with caring people. They have been operating for years, but more recently Mitchell has proudly welcomed the swimming jewel in the crown, the SA Aquatic Centre, which is the headquarters of the Marion Swimming Club.

Another person who typifies the great spirit of Mitchell people is Greeny at the Reynella Cricket Club. I was only recently told that his name is David Green because everybody calls him Greeny. Club life member number 20, he recently had his trademark wispy silver hair and handlebar moustache shaved off for charity. I have to be honest and say it was not a pretty look but he did raise $1,500 for charity. Greeny is another great person in Mitchell.

It is disappointing to note that so many of these sporting groups will be doing it tougher in the future after the Premier decided before the recent election to cut $3.5 million of funding to the Community, Recreation and Sports Facilities program. I will be working hard to help all of these great organisations and others in any way I can.

Nine schools and one hotel fit into the confines of the Mitchell electoral boundary. My waistline is thankful for that ratio and I am very thankful it is not the other way around. Eight of the schools are primary schools and there is just one high school in the electorate. While Seaview High School stands alone as the only high school in Mitchell, it is well and truly playing its part in producing more quality people. The principal, Penny Tranter, was very proud to introduce me to one of her students last year, a young man named Blake Derer. He went on to sweep the awards at Seaview's graduation ceremony in 2013 and he was named the City of Marion's Young Citizen of the Year on Australia Day. It was an outstanding acknowledgement of his great service to the community, but a better indication of the quality of this young man was evident from a story I followed with him and a few of his friends on Facebook.

The support Blake and his mates gave to their school friend Patrick Buksinski as he battled cancer was uplifting. They took every opportunity to be with Patrick and raise his spirits during the associated chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment. Sadly, they experienced the cruel curse of cancer as the disease eventually claimed their mate. They were there in his final moments and true friends to the end—yet another example of good Mitchell people.

On a lighter note, I would like to talk about the $7 schnitzels at the Crown Inn Hotel in Reynella. This is the one pub in Mitchell, Madam Deputy Speaker, and if you are ever free on a Thursday night I would like to take you to the Crown Inn for a schnitzel. My buy. What you will get for your $7 is a great feed and a side order of more brilliant people.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: You're on!

Mr WINGARD: I mentioned earlier that I have four children, so you can do the maths, but taking them all out to dinner can be expensive. About 18 months ago my family was having some work done on our kitchen and the cooktop was out of action, so we headed to the Crown Inn for dinner. We walked in knowing no-one, and left with a dozen more new friends. In fact, my wife, my stepdad, my mum and I are now social club members, and the other week my wife won the raffle and took home 4 feet of meat. It doesn't get any better than that! So again, if you are free on a Thursday night I would love to take you along; I can introduce you to Donald and Cathy—

Members interjecting:

Mr WINGARD: The member for Heysen is more than welcome to come—I can take anyone in the house; it is a whole lot of fun!

An honourable member: Are you shouting?

Mr WINGARD: I am only paying for the Deputy Speaker! But if you want to join the social club, as I said, I will introduce you to Donald and Cathy and you can get to know more magical Mitchell people. Mitchell is also home to the Edge Church, and I mention this group specifically because they have been so welcoming and engaging. The congregation takes in an incredibly large number of Mitchell constituents, but their care for the wider community reaches far beyond my electoral boundaries.

I have personally witnessed this amazing group of people gather around a family in need after their son was shot dead. They offered guidance and support in the toughest time, and they did it without expectation of anything in return. Once again, another team of outstanding Mitchell people. I think I have made it very clear: Mitchell means 'good people'. I am sorry I cannot mention them all here today, but I look forward to serving them all in the years ahead.

Before I finish, Deputy Speaker, I would like to thank some people who helped me get here today. As we know, campaigning is a team effort and my team is first class. Thanks go to my campaign manager Mary Andrew, Emma Andrew, Josh Rule, Trent Harron and Penny Pratt for all their help and support. I also thank Demi, Steve, Roberta, SEC President Paul, Kimberley and Maddie, branch President Bill and Lesley, Em-Jay, Liam, Courtney, Steph, Linda, Greg, Mostyn and Diana.

I would like to thank my mum, Heather, my stepdad Len, my dad Rick, and stepmum Liz. I would also like to thank Jody, Nick, Laura, Sarah, Tommy and Hugh; Johnny, Tui, and Taya; Annabel, Brian and the younger Brian; my brother Brenton, Jessie, Madi, Luke and Mason; Andrew, Sarah, Jack, Alex and Erin (who walked their feet off); Sharon, Wayne, Jake and Adam and Rachel Brown, who is a politician in the making! I also thank long-time friends Aaron, Poppy, Damian, Anne Marie, Michael, Garry, Yvette, Jaimie and Brett—and everyone else who helped on the campaign.

I would also like to mention the member for Waite and the Hon. Terry Stephens in the Legislative Council for all their help and support, and our leader, the member for Dunstan. Steven has only met my mum a couple of times, but I think he also lives by her mantra. He is the hardest working person I have met.

Thank you to the rest of my state colleagues and Senators Edwards, Birmingham, Bernardi, Ruston and Fawcett. Thank you also to the federal member for Sturt, Hon. Christopher Pyne, the member for Boothby Andrew Southcott, and the member for Hindmarsh, Matt Williams.

Mostly, I would like to truly thank my wife Emma and our beautiful children: Amy, Tyson, Heath and Brooke—I knew I would stall here! Collectively you are my inspiration and life, and I love you all to the moon and back.

Finally, you may have noticed I have not mentioned the Oaklands Park crossing. I do not have enough time left for me to share with you all the grievances that I have received about this neglected piece of infrastructure, so I will save that for another day, but trust me, before I am gone from this place, you will have heard plenty about that matter, and more, from me and the very good people of Mitchell. Thank you.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (16:34): First, congratulations go to all members in this house on their election, especially the new members. Special mention needs to be made of the member for Fisher. I know all members wish him a speedy recovery. Private members' time, for people who have been here before, will be very odd, I think, this Thursday without him. I also would like to congratulate all new members and re-elected members in the Legislative Council. Again, I congratulate the Speaker (the member for Croydon) on his re-nomination as Speaker, and our new Deputy Speaker (the member for Florey).

A special thank you needs to go out to everyone (and there are quite a few of them, whom I will not mention by name) who worked on the Ashford ALP campaign. Thank you: I really appreciate all the work that was done. I thank my campaign manager Ben Waters, my husband Kevin Purse, and both the Key and Purse families. Electorate staff and volunteers who kept the electorate office running during the campaign particularly need to get a mention, and I know that they are again keeping up the hard work that needs to happen to keep our office running.

Special thanks go to the Premier and ministers Hunter, Gago and Koutsantonis. I would like to acknowledge the other candidates in Ashford for their efforts and good grace during the campaign. Thank you to the Ashford constituents and, again, I pledge to continue to work hard to represent your interests.

I welcomed the Governor's speech identifying that there would be reform to the existing WorkCover scheme so that it works effectively for both workers and employers. He said it will also protect and enhance the wellbeing of the most seriously injured at work and will hold a clearer focus on recovery, retraining and return to work for those less seriously injured.

Having been a worker advocate in the workers compensation systems pre and post 1986, I have experience in the life for workers who have the misfortune of being injured or having an illness related to their employment. Any reforms need to be fair and not to the cost of injured or ill workers and their families. Sadly, since becoming an MP, many constituents have sought my support and intervention with regard to their or their family members' workers compensation case.

The management of the WorkCover scheme needs to be dramatically improved but not by cutting back workers' entitlements or access to the scheme. I question the definition of 'serious injury' and the use of what I understand is a 30 per cent whole person impairment (WPI) rating to determine entitlements. Injured and ill workers being limited to no more than two years of weekly payments for their work seems to me to be harsh.

It is also clear that many workers still have medical costs and medicines after they return to work, and a one-year cap that is proposed when they return to work again, to me, seems unfair. In my view, it is unconscionable that ill and injured workers should bear the medical costs that should be borne by the scheme. As the Attorney-General says in his Advertiser opinion piece today, the scheme must address the ongoing wellbeing and mental health of an injured worker as well as treating the initial injury.

I do not support any further tightening of eligibility for compensation. It is hard enough as it is. The major complaints that I receive from injured and ill workers are related to WorkCover's inadequate case management. Many injured workers may be badly treated or managed by different case managers for just one injury or illness. I have had examples where a non-medically-trained case manager often decides whether or not the worker will go to a specialist, whether a medical report is accepted and the best rehabilitation or appropriate medical operations for that worker.

Having been the presiding member of the Occupational Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Committee, I am aware of the poor record South Australia has with regard to workers returning to work after injury or illness. Our committee spent nearly two years hearing and collecting evidence on this matter. This is why I am concerned about what support, rehabilitation and retraining will be available to workers who are not deemed to be seriously injured. A clear definition of what a seriously injured worker is needs to be known. However, the limited number of inquiry categories under consideration, mainly quadriplegia and paraplegia, indicates that the bar is going to be set very high, rather like trying to pass a camel through the eye of a needle.

Prior to entering parliament, I worked as WorkCover advocate, as I mentioned, so I have firsthand experience of the debilitating effects that work injuries can have on injured workers and their families. Since becoming an MP, especially since the 2008 changes, I am now meeting with many constituents who are injured workers. With this background, it is quite clear to me that there need to be many more injuries, apart from quadriplegia and paraplegia, that can justify being described as a serious injury.

The rationale underlying the eye of the needle eligibility test for serious injuries is that it has the potential to generate massive scheme savings that would enable employer premiums to be reduced, but to my mind this is a justification more about cost shifting than cost savings. I have also had the honour of working as an industrial advocate in the national disability sector for the ACTU. It was concerning to meet numbers of workers living on a disability support pension because they had a work-related injury or illness and had either been sacked or forced to leave the compensation scheme that they were under. The responsibility of their situation had been transferred to the commonwealth social wage. Many of these workers and families live in poverty.

Now constituents visit the electorate office in distress at the situation they have found themselves in by having had an injury or an illness in a job that they once had. I do not accept the view that building workers, nurses, truck drivers and other workers with disabling work injuries should have to pay for the mismanagement of a workers' compensation scheme. The most effective way of reducing WorkCover costs involves making workplaces safe and ensuring that injured workers are assisted in returning to work.

Reported work injuries have declined over recent years, but they are still too many. Last year alone there were around 25,000. Return to work also remains a problem, in part because of delays in timely referrals for rehabilitation and a failure to ensure workers are provided with suitable employment following their recovery from injury. Unsafe workplaces and ineffective rehabilitation are a drain on the state's economy and the wellbeing of its citizens. WorkCover figures indicate there are more than 560,000 working days lost as a result of work injuries in just 2011-12. This equates to 1,536 years of lost productivity in just one year. Legislating seriously injured workers off the scheme to me is not the answer to the problem. Any new reforms or changes need to get it right.

Mr PISONI (Unley) (16:44): Thank you, Deputy Speaker, and congratulations on your appointment. I am very pleased to be here speaking in response to the Governor's speech and the introduction to the excitement-packed agenda that the Weatherill government has in store for us here in South Australia.

So void were they of policy and ideas that they even referred to a travel guide that described Adelaide as one of the best places to visit. What they do not understand is that it is a marketing ploy. It is a bit like when Who's Who ring you up and say, 'We want to update your details; we want to put you in the book,' and then three months later you get a bill for $300 saying that the book is for sale. It is the same concept when the travel guides put your city in and tell you what a wonderful place it is—because they want the people in that city to go and buy the new edition of that book. That is what it is all about, and that is all this government has to hang its achievements on after 12 years. It is a very shallow agenda indeed of this government.

I will touch on the government's so-called education agenda. They made the extraordinary claim that they remain committed to continuous improvement in their system. 'Continuous improvement to this system' was the description they used, but there was no detail, of course, and a complete void in their record on education in South Australia. If we look at what this government has delivered or achieved—or failed to achieve—in the last 12 years, we can look at areas such as the PISA scores in South Australia. Before we had NAPLAN testing, which started in 2008, South Australia participated in the OECD testing regime, which tested things such as scientific literacy, reading, writing and other key areas of education.

The disappointing thing in South Australia is that our results back in 2000 were far better than the results we have been delivering recently, particularly the last PISA results. The PISA results in 2000 saw South Australia delivering the best results in the country in key areas, such as scientific literacy, literacy and numeracy. If we were a country on our own, we would be second only to Finland in many of those areas. Now Australia has slipped over that period, but South Australia's results have absolutely tumbled.

PISA results in 2012 show that South Australia recorded the largest absolute decline in performance of any state or territory in Australia in all three categories—maths, science and reading—since the previous PISA test. In mathematics, South Australia's raw score has declined 46 points since maths was last tested as a major domain in 2003, from 535 points to 489 points. The average decline across Australia in maths in 2003 was 20 points, so the decline in South Australia was 130 per cent greater than the average decline in performance across Australia.

In reading, South Australia's raw score has declined by 37 points since reading was tested as a major domain in 2000, from 537 points to 500 points. The average decline across Australia in reading since 2000 was 16 points. In South Australia, the decline was 131 per cent greater than the average decline in performance across Australia. In science, South Australia's raw score has declined by 19 points since science was last tested as a major domain in 2006, from 532 points to 513 points.

The average decline across Australia in science since 2006 was five points, so the decline in South Australia was 280 per cent greater than the average decline in performance across Australia. This is an important point because we hear the Premier continue to tell us that his plan for South Australia is a smart economy, which includes smart manufacturing. Of course, smart manufacturing requires science students to graduate from our high schools and go into university.

In 2003, as part of the Strategic Plan, this government presided over a decline, from 44 per cent in 2000 to just 41 per cent of students in 2003 who were attaining a pass mark in their ATAR in STEM subjects such as chemistry, physics and maths. They set a target that by 2010 they wanted to increase that by 45 per cent. The sad truth about that measure is that we did not make that figure in 2010; as a matter of fact, we went backwards in South Australia in the number of students.

Despite the fact that more students were finishing year 12, fewer students were attaining pass marks in STEM subjects. This is of concern to organisations such as Engineering Australia. Our universities—the problem has become even worse with the introduction of the new SACE and a compulsory research project preventing many students, particularly those in government schools that are not resourced, from studying five subjects in year 12.

In mathematics, reading and science, South Australia is the worst-performing mainland state in South Australia in PISA in 2012, with only Tasmania and the Northern Territory underperforming South Australia. Think about that: Tasmania and the Northern Territory are the only other states and territories that are doing worse than South Australia when it comes to mathematics, reading and science. Australia ranks 19th out of 65 countries in maths in PISA in 2012, significantly above the average; however, if South Australia were included as a separate country, it would rank 35th out of 65 countries, performing well below average.

They are shocking figures, and they are the legacy of 12 years of Labor government, a government with a leader who said he wanted to be the 'education Premier'. Well, the education Premier should be hanging his head in shame at the educational outcomes here in South Australia. Australia ranks 14th out of 65 countries in reading, significantly above the average; however, if South Australia were a separate country, it would rank 28th out of 65 countries.

Australia ranks 16th out of 65 countries in science, significantly above the average; however, if South Australia were included as a separate country, it would rank 27th out of those countries. We are not missing out by an inch or two, we are missing out by an enormous figure. We are not even in the ballpark when it comes to South Australia's outcomes in these important areas compared with other states in Australia.

I touched earlier on NAPLAN. NAPLAN, of course, has been debated at this time every year; we have the NAPLAN tests every May. For some reason, there are people who claim to have the education of children at interest who criticise the NAPLAN test as putting too much stress on children, and they claim that it stops children from learning other things in schools. But what we need to remember is that if children can read and write they can pass a NAPLAN test—basic skills for building an education. If children cannot read and write, they do not engage in their learning and their learning ceases.

We heard this morning about the number of reception and years 1 and 2 students who are suspended for bad behaviour. I put it to you, Deputy Speaker, that that is all about engagement of children in their education, and parents' engagement in their children's education. We are seeing poorer results here in South Australia.

If we look at the 2013 NAPLAN results, South Australia was below the national average in 19 out of 20 categories; that is after not meeting the national average in 2011, and not meeting the national average in 2012, in a single category. When South Australian students sat the first NAPLAN test in 2008, we did in fact at least meet the national average in five of those 20 categories, but we have continually gone backwards since then.

When the Premier was education minister, he said we were doing so badly because we have a bigger proportion of lower socioeconomic families here in South Australia. The former member for Hartley, Grace Portolesi, made the same claim when she was education minister: she blamed the family, she blamed the socioeconomic mix in South Australia. But what does that say? How can a premier suggest that as an excuse, that we have a higher proportion of lower socioeconomic families in South Australia? In other words, there is less opportunity for South Australians under Labor.

South Australia made no progress in 18 out of 20 categories since 2008. After 12 years of Labor, five education ministers, 10 directors of education or CEOs of the education department and acting CEOs and dozens of government programs and announcements, we continue to trail the nation. That is a standard practice of this government. Poor NAPLAN results: 'We are announcing some more spending in numeracy and literacy.' It is almost as though it comes out of their little red book: 'What do I say in response to these poor education results? What do I say in response to these poor results in our waiting lists in our hospitals? What do I say about these poor crime figures?' It is either the families, the global economic crisis or Canberra. That is all we get from this government.

I would like to touch on skills and training, which is another area I am responsible for as the shadow minister. There are some more frightening statistics here that I would like to advise the parliament. The latest NCVER (National Centre for Vocational Studies) figures for the September quarter showed a decrease in apprenticeship and trainee commencements in South Australia of 8.6 per cent, compared to a national increase of 47.6 per cent. The number of apprentices and trainees commencing training in the September quarter decreased by 16.1 per cent, while across the nation it increased by 17.1 per cent, and this is after the introduction of the government's Skills for All and its big promise to create 100,000 new jobs at the 2010 election.

Completions of apprenticeships and traineeships decreased by 41 per cent in September 2013. South Australia has the worst commencement and completions for apprenticeships and traineeships in the nation. Of course, we have seen the mess that is Skills for All. Every couple of months those that are providing training through proper accredited training businesses are advised that funding is no longer available for that training. They have to make staff redundant, go to the bank and extend their overdrafts against their houses. We have seen dozens of training providers that have closed their businesses because of the poor management of Skills for All.

It is important that we learn the lessons of Skills for All so we will know that when important government expenditure is spent we will get jobs outcomes. It is interesting that the government said it was going to deliver 100,000 new jobs in 2010 and also announced 100,000 training positions. Skills for All was going to deliver those 100,000 new jobs, but the facts are that the management of the Skills for All program had nothing to do with jobs outcomes, or employment outcomes. If it did we would not be 96,000 jobs short of the government's 100,000 job target just 22 months away from the target deadline of March 2016.

I would like to finish by making some comments on the absolutely disgraceful campaign of the now member for Elder against Carolyn Habib. It is not just me who is concerned about this new Labor Party, this new blood, this Labor Party that is rejuvenating itself. I refer to Haydon Manning's article published online just last week. He made the comments that:

The stress upon Habib's surname and the deliberate absence of her first name combine with the invocation to voters to reflect on 'TRUST' set against a wall that conjures a war zone serves a targeted purpose. Namely to imply that Habib is trouble akin to what you'd expect to find with the strife we observe bedevilling Middle-Eastern countries and possibly terrorism.

It goes on to say that the leaflet's imagery begs the question: why this particular imagery and not the standard for negative campaign pamphleteering, such as the background used by Labor in its attack upon Liberals and other candidates, for example my colleague the member for Hartley, who was the candidate for Hartley at that time. There is his comparison as to the fact that Caroline Habib's surname was deliberately left off to provide the reader with the impression that they knew less about the candidate but the Labor Party wanting them to know more about the candidate with this snide and disgraceful campaign playing on her Lebanese heritage.

The member for Elder needs to come clean. She needs to tell this parliament: what did she know about this campaign? I put it to you that she knew about it. She is as racist as the other members of her campaign. In her maiden speech, she said, 'Demography shows—and she is talking about the electorate of Elder—that there is a significant Caucasian population in Elder.' She knew what she was doing when she put that out. He knew what she was doing. She is a racist, and she is in this parliament because of her racist behaviour as the candidate in the lead-up to the election. Shame on the Labor Party, shame on the member for Elder. It is a stolen election victory in the seat of Elder, based on the dirty tricks of the Labor Party and a racist campaign.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT