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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-05-05 Daily Xml
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Minister for Local Government, Regional Roads and Veterans Affairs

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (14:56): Thank you, Mr Speaker, for your protection. My question is to the Minister for Regional Roads, Local Government and Veterans Affairs. With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I congratulate the minister on his appointment to cabinet and ask him whether he sought to give any undertakings to the Premier as a condition of his appointment to cabinet?

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart—Minister for Local Government, Minister for Regional Roads, Minister for Veterans Affairs) (14:56): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I also acknowledge your reappointment as the Speaker and the member for Hammond's re-election. Can I perhaps go back to an ABC interview that I am sure the member would have heard that had the same argument.

Let me reassure the house that leading up to the election there had been no discussion with myself between either the major parties, being the Labor Party and the Liberal Party—during the election campaign period of time, no discussions, no visitations. The only forum I attended was for the shadow health minister at Port Augusta, which was attended by the other members around the area and the councils, etc.

As I indicated in the ABC interview, on the Tuesday after the election I had a call from the Premier offering me the opportunity to join the cabinet. I am a regional person. I have great passion for the regions out there. If anyone in this house disputes that, they only have to look at my record and my commitment over the last 13 years, my 20 years on local government and my commitment to local government. Even from that, I have always been a great supporter of local government across all of the regions, including metropolitan areas. On that Tuesday, the opportunity arose for me to consider that opportunity. It came out of the blue. After consideration, talking to my partner and my children and my family, I elected to consider and to accept that on the proviso that I am still able to voice my concerns.

With regard to the Minister for Veterans Affairs, again I compliment everybody who is out there in the regions and metropolitan Adelaide for their dedication over the many years in various conflicts, including the Boer War up to today. There are many conflicts out there. My father served in the Second World War in New Guinea, and he lost quite a few of his friends, including my uncles, in that war. My brother served in the Vietnam War and he is a returned veteran. I served for approximately six years in the Army Reserve.

I have had a great passion for people out there, veterans across all sectors. I want to be able to pay back not only to my own community but to regional South Australia and to the whole of South Australia, including the metropolitan area, and to the veterans who have gone out and fought for what we've got today. We have freedom and we have peace in this country. Look at the opportunities we have had because of the sacrifices of families over many years. The member mentioned this the other day in his grieve.

We have all suffered because of family loss over many, many years. If we look at what is happening in Ukraine at the moment, I am very, very disturbed about what is happening over there, and we all should be.

To answer your question: no discussion, no commitment. I am here to serve the people of South Australia in whatever capacity I can, whether it is in these three portfolios or any other opportunities with this parliament. I have already put the offer out to both shadow ministers to work collaboratively to get the best opportunities for the three portfolios I have been offered, and I will continue that work.

The SPEAKER: A supplementary question. The member for Hammond on a supplementary.

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