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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-28 Daily Xml
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Gibson Electorate Office

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:44): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Was the minister consulted in relation to an FOI application made on 7 September 2021 in relation to allegations of intimidation or staff complaints in his electorate office?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government) (14:44): I thank the member for his question because I see this is a matter that has been traversed—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for West Torrens!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —by Ms Henson of The Advertiser in a demand by the member for West Torrens that there be a disclosure of documents that are the subject of an FOI application. Freedom of information law applies in relation to the production of documents and correction of documents, and most people in this house should be familiar with it, especially the member for West Torrens.

But let me just remind the house that the process is very clear. The assessment of freedom of information applications is done by an independent officer within departments, or officers, as some of them have more than one. There is a process of review and there is a process of appeal. The South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal largely—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for West Torrens!

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: —is responsible for that. If the member is unhappy about the determination of an independent freedom of information officer, then he has a proper process which he can pursue—not to demand that there be a production of documents, of which that independent officer has made that assessment.

The SPEAKER: Attorney-General, there is a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98: the minister may not debate the answer. I did not ask 'demand any documents'. I simply asked whether the minister was consulted, as per the process, which the minister omitted in her little manifesto she just read out.

The SPEAKER: That's an unnecessary commentary, member for West Torrens.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Let's not have interjections and exchanges across the chamber. In any event, it may be that the Attorney-General has concluded her answer. I will take a number of additional questions from the opposition, and then I will move to the government side.

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