House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-03-09 Daily Xml

Contents

Child Protection

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): A further supplementary: why wasn't there a published statement via the government as to the extension of the time and the extra cost, as the government did on the nuclear industry royal commission?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for Consumer and Business Services, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (14:39): I actually do not know the answer as to why a particular communication strategy was chosen or not. We certainly were not intending to hide Commissioner Nyland in a cupboard for the next six months. We were not trying to pretend that we were not doing it. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition sees some difference in the methodology of this and the—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There was certainly no plan to—

Ms Chapman: The date just slipped out on her website.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I do not know whether it slipped out on her website or it slipped out of a press release from our office; I do not know.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is on two warnings, as is the member for Unley.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: There is certainly no secret about it. If I remember correctly, in the latter part of last year I might have foreshadowed in answers to questions here in the chamber that it appeared likely that there would be an extension required.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Yes. I have never run away from the fact that if she was not finished, we would have to give her more time.

Mr Knoll interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Schubert is warned for the second and final time. The member for Giles.