House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-09-05 Daily Xml

Contents

Question Time

State Budget

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:55): My question is to the Premier. Did the Premier mislead the people of South Australia when in February this year he said, and I quote, 'We don't have a privatisation agenda'?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:55): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. No, of course I didn't mislead the people of South Australia. I was asked a direct question regarding privatisation and made it very clear that those on this side of the house did not support the privatisation of SA Water. We specifically dealt with this issue, unlike those opposite who always talk about not supporting privatisation. But what we do know as a fact is that in the last term of government—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the taxpayers of South Australia spent $100,000 with KPMG to investigate the privatisation of SA Water. We unequivocally ruled out the privatisation of SA Water. Your question specifically dealt with the issue of whether we had any 'ambition'—I think that was the term that you used—for privatisation, and the answer to that is absolutely—

Mr Malinauskas: 'Privatisation agenda' were your words.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: And the answer to that is: absolutely and unequivocally no.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Before I call the Leader of the Opposition, I call to order the following members: the member for Hurtle Vale, the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Waite. Leader of the Opposition.