House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-11-13 Daily Xml

Contents

Keolis Downer

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. Given he told the parliament on 30 June he had never met Mr Sasha Grebe, can he explain why FOIs released show that Mr Sasha Grebe of Keolis Downer has met with his ministerial staff on numerous occasions before he gave that answer, including in his ministerial office.

Mr Malinauskas: Uh-oh.

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for a second time for saying 'uh-oh'.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning) (14:46): There is a difference between members of my office meeting Sasha Grebe and me meeting Sasha Grebe. We are different people. There is not some hive mind in my office—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: —as much as sometimes they would like it to be that way. We are in fact different people. I have actually gone back and checked. I cannot remember ever having met Sasha Grebe. I certainly haven't met him in a formal capacity. We may have been in the same room at a function at one point in time, but I have absolutely no recollection of anything to do in that regard.

Regardless, this tender was operated in a completely separate, independent fashion. If there's something wrong that the member would like to make around that tender process, then say it, and again, say it outside, but there's not.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: So what they would seek to do is try to chuck a little bit of mud up against the wall and see what sticks.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir.

The SPEAKER: The point of order is for?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Improper motives.

The SPEAKER: Yes, 'chucking mud'. I will caution the minister. I don't think he referred to any member in particular the way I caught it, but I am going to caution the minister and ask that he not use that sort of terminology, especially with his alma mater students behind him watching.

The Hon. S.K. KNOLL: Thank you, Speaker. I will take your guidance, as I always do. Here's the other thing that I would like to say: Sasha Grebe actually doesn't work for Keolis Downer. He actually works for the Downer Group, which is a separate company. Keolis Downer is actually a joint venture between Downer and Keolis and is actually a separate company.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford can leave for the remainder of question time for leading that charge.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The SPEAKER: The minister has finished his answer. The member for West Torrens and then the member for Mount Gambier.