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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-12-02 Daily Xml
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Counterterrorism

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:49): If the issue is so little risk in South Australia, why did we in this parliament extend the terrorism legislation for another 10 years as a result of the heightened risk for terrorism in this state?

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is called to order.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: Thank you, sir.

The SPEAKER: It's fine. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform) (14:50): Yes, thank you, Mr Speaker. I notice the passion attached to the question that has just been asked by the deputy leader, but if we can just cool it down a little bit. Not so long ago in this very chamber we had a conversation in the form of the parliamentary procedure attached to the passage of a bill, that bill being a bill to extend the time in respect of the current counterterrorism legislation, which was a uniform scheme, if you like.

I think, Mr Speaker, you were probably attorney at the time of the original passage of these measures, and each of the states was invited by the commonwealth to pass legislation; and, at the time for reasons that you might recall but it was before my time, there was an agreement that there would be a 10-year window on the operation of that sunset clause.

Of course, in but a blinking of an eye, 9½ years have gone by and we have all sorts of serious events going on around the world. We have the events in Sydney at the Lindt Cafe, and everybody says, 'Well, look, my goodness, why don't we renew this for another 10 years,' a self-evidently reasonable proposition.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: It may surprise the deputy leader to know that the Minister for Police is aware of this, and the Minister for Police, along with pretty well everyone in this room, participated in a very thorough debate. I recall the deputy leader made a lengthy contribution, which is unusual because normally she is quite brief. On this particular occasion she went into quite a bit of detail, and ultimately—

Mr Marshall: I hope you listened.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I always do.

Mr Marshall: I hope you learned something.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I always learn something when the deputy leader addresses a matter in here, because the thoroughness with which she approaches the task of confronting a piece of legislation, particularly—

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is warned; he has been doing it all day.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There are instances where—

Ms Vlahos interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Taylor is warned.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There are instances, Mr Speaker, where the thoroughness is, quite frankly, breathtaking. On occasions we begin right at the very beginning. Anyway, the point is this: I gather that there was a discussion amongst members of parliament, I think involving some people from the other place, and my recollection of where we got to was that there would be a 10-year extension with a periodic review.

Mr PISONI: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order?

Mr PISONI: I refer you to 119: reflections on votes of the house. It is clear that the minister is reflecting on what happened in this house in regard to a vote in the house.

The SPEAKER: When was the legislation? Is it of this session?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: It was this session, Mr Speaker, but it is not in this chamber anymore, to the best of my knowledge, otherwise the deputy leader would not have asked a question out of order like that.

The SPEAKER: I don't think it is normally a quarrelsome reflection on legislation to say that everyone supported it. The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am just trying to be of assistance to the parliament because the deputy leader asked a question about why it was the government thought it was a good idea to extend this legislation, and I am trying to explain that we do think it is a good idea, and the whole parliament, as far as I know—

Ms Chapman: You said a high risk, a very high risk and he doesn't care.

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second and final time. Would someone on the opposition side like to ask a question?

Mr Gardner: Sir, you've got a list; it's there to see.

The SPEAKER: Normally I do have a list but normally the member whose turn it is rises. The member for Stuart.

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