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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-07-02 Daily Xml
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Matter of Privilege

Minister for Emergency Services

Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (10:31): Mr Speaker, I wish to raise a matter of privilege. On 25 February this year, I asked the Minister for Emergency Services in question time:

Did the minister issue a ministerial direction to the SAFECOM board to supply Mount Barker CFS brigade with two type 1 pumpers, 25 sets of structural PPE and extra structural firefighting equipment…

The minister, in his answer, denied he had issued a ministerial directive. Then, on 17 June 2015, I asked the Minister for Emergency Services a question:

Did the minister issue a ministerial directive to the SAFECOM board to investigate the provision of additional equipment to Mount Barker CFS and will he table that ministerial directive?

In his answer to the house, the minister said, and I quote:

The answer is no I did not give a direction.

In a copy of a letter released under freedom of information from the minister to the captain of the Mount Barker CFS, dated 6 October—and I will enclose that for your deliberation, Mr Speaker—in the fourth paragraph, it says:

I have directed SAFECOM and the Country Fire Service to investigate the provision of additional equipment for your brigade.

This is in complete contrast to what the minister told the house and, as the minister has had ample time to come back and correct the record, I ask that you investigate this matter.

The SPEAKER: And you are seeking precedence for a debate of this?

Dr McFETRIDGE: I am, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: So, you are seeking that this debate have precedence over other debate?

Dr McFETRIDGE: Not at this time, Mr Speaker. Perhaps if you deliberate on the matter and come back to the house, then we can debate the matter.

The SPEAKER: Well, no. I am in the hands of the Clerk to some extent here, but my understanding of the procedure is that you raise the matter of privilege if you are seeking the debate to have precedence over other business on the Notice Paper; otherwise, you would merely draw it to the attention of the house and then move a motion about it.

Dr McFETRIDGE: Mr Speaker, I—

The SPEAKER: No, I am getting advice from the Clerk. I am wrong.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for Unley for his assistance. The member can raise a matter of privilege, and then I will look at it to see if I think it is a matter of privilege and, if I think it is, I will give precedence to a motion to debate it. If I do not think it touches on privilege, then the member is free to move a motion about it in private members' time. If the member for Morphett will give me all the materials, I will busy myself this morning and this afternoon looking at those documents.

Dr McFETRIDGE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. You should have that in the envelope taken by the attendants.

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