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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-10-28 Daily Xml
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Gillman Land Sale

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is to the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer accept that, as the minister responsible, it was his ultimate responsibility to ensure probity with the ACP Gillman deal?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:20): I have already accepted—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, I was minister for state development. In fact, I was treasurer at the time and minister for state development, and I have already accepted responsibility for this agreement and I stand by it. If those opposite have not heard the explanation before I am happy to give it again. We take responsibility for the decisions that we took to enter into this arrangement to take a piece of land that was lying there for 30 years and actually accept an unsolicited bid from a group of entrepreneurs that wanted to create jobs for the benefit of South Australians.

That was the simple and entire motivation of the exercise, and it was the simple and entire explanation that has been accepted by every process that's been conducted into this matter—every process that has been undertaken in relation to this matter. Our purpose has been vindicated in every single process despite the innuendo—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —and the snide references. But, having said that, there were elements of the process where—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: If the leader utters another word outside standing orders he will be departing the chamber.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There were elements of the process which were not up to standard. They have been documented in the Ombudsman's report exercised by Commissioner Lander, and they are important—

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, the ICAC commissioner behaving—

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is called to order and the member for Mount Gambier is warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: You see, we were the ones who set up the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, and we did that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —because we wanted to send a very clear message to the people of South Australia that the decisions we take are decisions that are taken with the highest of integrity, and the purpose that we undertook this exercise for was confirmed as a proper purpose. It would be good if those opposite gave this arrangement an opportunity to succeed, because I think everybody accepts that we need high quality infrastructure that creates opportunity for employment growth here in South Australia.

But it is true, that there were some significant failings that were identified in the Ombudsman's report. You will also see that he outlines all of the steps the government has taken to respond to those matters and remedy them and he cites them with approval. So, in other words, the deficiencies have been responded to and remedied, and Commissioner Lander acknowledges that they were proper steps to be taken.

He mentions one further matter, which is the governance arrangements in relation to Renewal SA, and that matter was the subject of a question yesterday, or, in fact, in the Auditor-General's Report, and I think maybe even the Deputy Premier would have received some questions about that, and that is receiving our attention. We are attending to that matter as well. But I take responsibility for this transaction; I promoted it, I supported it. Sure, there were some deficiencies in the way in which the agency conducted itself. But at all times we've never sought—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —we've never sought to hide—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —we never sought to hide behind the board or any of the advice of the agency. We always owned this as a decision of the government in the interests of the people of South Australia.

The SPEAKER: Before the deputy leader asks her question, I call to order the members for Finniss, Chaffey and Morphett. I warn for the first time the members for Morialta, Kavel, Morphett and, indeed, the deputy leader herself; and I warn for the second and final time the member for Kavel. Deputy leader.

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