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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-11-14 Daily Xml
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Noarlunga Centre Incident

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): My question is to the Attorney-General. Can the Attorney-General advise whether the 20-year-old man now charged with the murder of a mother of two at Noarlunga Centre on 25 October recently completed a term of imprisonment?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:13): As the Leader of the Opposition would well know, the death arising in respect of the Noarlunga Centre matter is a matter—

The SPEAKER: Deputy Premier, I also caution the member that if a matter is before the courts, obviously the sub judice rule may apply. I will allow that to be to your discretion, Deputy Premier.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will just conclude my sentence by saying that, accordingly, it is a matter before the courts and therefore it isn't proper that we provide detail in relation to either—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: I realise that some on the other side—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! We have the question. Let's hear the answer.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —may not understand why we have the sub judice rule, but perhaps let me explain to them. They have been ministers. Some of them have been ministers—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left! We have the question.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —and one of the things that is very important is that the antecedents of the alleged offender must not be compromised in relation to public statements that are made that might in some way prejudice either the successful prosecution or, indeed, the unfair acquittal of a matter that is before the court, so I won't be answering a question—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: I bet you won't.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Even the member for West Torrens, who frankly should know better, who has been a minister in various portfolios in government, would understand the significance of this—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: The member for West Torrens JP—

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, please! Please, Deputy Premier, do not respond to interjections. I'm listening to this answer. Let's hear the answer, please.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Whatever the qualifications of others, I make it very clear on behalf of the government that, should there be a circumstance where commentary is made publicly either in this parliament or otherwise that might adversely affect the proper administration of matters before the court, we would—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Again, they clearly don't understand the rules. The antecedents, which refer to the prior history, including the criminal history of a matter, including—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Premier has the call.

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —any alleged prior criminal history, are not a matter that should be properly—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis: Alleged.

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens, please!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —before a public arena whilst this matter is being dealt with in the courts. The Leader of the Opposition has the benefit of a senior counsel in his own team. He can get advice on this, but I don't think I can make it any clearer.

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