House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-12-04 Daily Xml

Contents

Tramlines

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (15:28): A final supplementary, sir: has the minister been briefed or received any advice—

The SPEAKER: Member for Mitchell, if it arises out of the minister's answer you surely can't be reading it?

Mr WINGARD: No, I am not; I'm asking a question, sir.

The SPEAKER: It's a supplementary?

Mr WINGARD: Yes, do you want me to look at you through the whole question, sir?

The SPEAKER: Yes, that would be good.

Mr WINGARD: No problem at all.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir. It is established in Erskine May that the Speaker has leeway to allow reading, where necessary. But if it didn't, Erskine May also demands that members not read any materials while in the chamber other than that relevant to the debate at hand, and I would ask members opposite to cease doing so as well if they are going to be so priggish on this matter.

The SPEAKER: I raised it, not members on the government side. I ruled yesterday, at one stage, that members could read out their supplementary questions even though those supplementary questions are supposed to arise spontaneously from the minister's answer. I was corrected by the member for Kaurna, rightly, that Erskine May rules out the reading of supplementary questions. Presumably that is because if the member is reading off the typescript it is not really a supplementary. So I deferred to Erskine May, and the member for Mitchell has kindly agreed to gaze at me while asking his question.

Mr WINGARD: Thank you, sir; it is a pleasure to gaze at you as well. My supplementary question to the minister is: has the minister received any advice about pending legal action against the company (Coleman Rail) that did the extension of the tramline from Victoria Square to the train station?

The SPEAKER: Splendid. The minister.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:30): Thank you, Mr Speaker. It did feel a bit weird there for a minute. In response to the question from the member for Mitchell, I do not recall anything about being briefed on that, let alone about any legal action. However, I am happy to take that matter away, seek advice and bring an answer back to the house in due course.