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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
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Dairy Industry

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Premier. Given that the Victorian Labor government has today announced an $11.4 million assistance package for the Victorian dairy industry, how can the Premier justify his government's decision to increase both the emergency services and natural resources management levies on South Australia's struggling dairy farmers?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:23): It's interesting to note that the Leader of the Opposition hasn't really understood how the ESL works, even though the Liberal Party are the authors of this legislation. It is their tax and they are the ones who implemented it. What is the impact on rural constituencies of the latest determination of the government? It is fair to say that in metropolitan Adelaide, yes, there will be an increase for medium house prices in South Australia—

Ms Chapman: How about the dairy farmers?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I'm getting to that—of about $4. Yes, I know $4 is an increase on top of last year and the year before that, so I am not trying to minimise the impact of that, but the Leader of the Opposition has got up and said how can we possibly increase the ESL on rural communities. What the Leader of the Opposition has not mentioned to the house is that the actual rate of the ESL has gone down. Dumbstruck! Dumbstruck again! If I were the member for Unley, given that he was given the papers and never read them and didn't realise, three weeks before the budget—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: That's right—didn't read it. He doesn't read his Eco and Finance budget papers, the deputy leader doesn't read the budget papers, and their leader tells everyone to vote Labor. Political eunuch—a threat to no-one!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will be seated. Point of order.

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN: Not addressing the substance of the question, debate and defence.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order about debate and, in that pause, I call to order the members for Adelaide, Morphett and Flinders. I warn for the first time the members for Unley and Schubert, and I warn for the second and the final time the members for Morialta and Unley and the deputy leader. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: So, if you live in regional area 1, which is Millicent, Mount Barker, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Nuriootpa, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln—

Mr Knoll interjecting:

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —Port Pirie, Renmark, Tanunda, Victor Harbor and Whyalla—

Mr van Holst Pellekaan: Dairy farmers are going to pay less, are they?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Just wait for the answer.

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Wait for the answer. You are not leader yet. When you are the leader, you can interject more often. Primary production—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

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

Mr Griffiths interjecting:

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

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Primary production property values for median price will receive an exactly zero per cent increase. If you live in regional area 2—that is, you don't live within a council town but live outside the area, where a lot of these dairy farms are—if you are in primary production, you will receive exactly a zero per cent increase.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, that wasn't the question. It was the ESL and NRM. The NRM—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The NRM or ESL. No matter how much the Leader of the Opposition screams and flails and throws his arm around, spewing Botox all over the parliament, no matter how much it occurs—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer will be seated.

Mr GARDNER: Sir, you have directed the Treasurer not to contravene standing order 98, and he is.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to what the Treasurer has to say. The Treasurer will not provoke the opposition benches.

The Hon. T.R. Kenyon: The trouble is most of it's true, sir

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If you live in a residence in regional area 1—

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland is on three warnings.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: If you live in regional area 1, and you have a residential property in regional area 1, you will receive a 1.3 per cent reduction in your ESL bill. If you live in regional area 2, you will receive a 1.1 per cent reduction in the ESL. So, the Leader of the Opposition, and his deputy and his No. 3 don't read budget papers, Economic and Finance papers and don't read press releases. Quite frankly, with all the shouting, all the flailing, all the excitement of the Leader of the Opposition, he has got it wrong again—

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —and it's embarrassing.

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta will leave under the sessional order for half an hour.

Mr GARDNER: I thought we were getting three warnings, sir.

The SPEAKER: Well, I will make it a third warning. If I hear another interjection from the member for Morialta, he will be out. Has the Treasurer finished?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Remarkable. The member for Elder.

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