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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-02-25 Daily Xml
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Sampson Flat Bushfire

Mr KNOLL (Schubert) (14:56): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services.

Members interjecting:

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

Mr KNOLL: Can the minister please confirm exactly who paid for the sponsored Facebook posts depicting SES volunteers, CFS volunteers and the minister on his ministerial visit during the Sampson Flat bushfires?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:56): I thank the member for his question. One thing, though, that the new member should do, if he is going to do push polling with journalists, is perhaps be careful which journalists he talks to. If the member for Schubert is going to suggest to journalists that I have inappropriately spent public money—

The SPEAKER: What's the point of order?

Ms CHAPMAN: On the question of relevance: the question was to the minister specifically—

The SPEAKER: The question was specifically about who paid for it and the minister is addressing that question.

Ms CHAPMAN: He is talking about an entirely different matter.

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: In suggesting that the member for Schubert may have had conversations with journalists, or anything else, the minister is imputing improper motive, which is against standing orders.

The SPEAKER: As far as I know, conversations with journalists are still licit—not that I have many myself. Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: When the member for Schubert tried to convince this particular journalist that I didn't properly use public moneys and that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Let me finish: I'll get there. It's interesting that the member for Schubert has gone bright red now. He thought he could be anonymous and that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: He's not the only one, though. A few others did it, too. Having said that, I did boost, personally, that particular Facebook—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Yes, personally—and in that Facebook message there is also a picture of Jamie Briggs and me. I was boosting Jamie because it was a party political theme. In addition, in that same Facebook entry—and you would know because you've read it—is also Mr Jamie Briggs. So, I was boosting Jamie. He was there. I was also boosting all the women from the Salvation Army who were helping out in the kitchen, and also boosting a whole range of other people who were at the event. Just to finish, Mr Speaker, the—

Ms Chapman: He paid for it personally.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: I paid for it personally, that's right, and I boosted it personally. Also, in addition, what the Liberal Party seems to object to is the Facebook message where I actually thank everybody for their great work. Compare and contrast that with the entry on Facebook by the Leader of the Opposition on the same day where he talks about himself and the member for Morphett. My entry talks about what other people have done and on the same day—

The SPEAKER: Point of order, member for Schubert.

Mr KNOLL: Point of order, Mr Speaker: 127. The minister is making a personal reflection on other members.

The SPEAKER: If the point of order is the minister is now not answering the substance of the question, I would have upheld it, but that point of order I cannot uphold. Minister.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: No second prizes. Could the minister wind up?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: I can. On the same day, 5 January, on two Facebook pages: I am actually thanking all the people involved, all the volunteer staff, etc., and the Leader of the Opposition has an entry with himself in it—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Let me finish—

The SPEAKER: Yes, I think the minister has made his point.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: No, I haven't quite yet, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: I think we'll leave the answer there. The member for Morphett.

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