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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-10-29 Daily Xml
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Lee, Hon. J.S.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:09): I want to take this opportunity to address some very concerning matters that have arisen during the course of question time as a result of, I think, a rather frank expression from the Hon. Jing Lee in the other place. I think all of us would be rather alarmed to have learned during the course of question time that the Hon. Jing Lee has felt compelled to stand up and offer an apology on account of the rather unprecedented and reprehensible events that occurred during the course of debate in the upper house on the Hon. Mr Hood's proposed abortion law changes.

Can I say this from the outset: I commend the Hon. Jing Lee for having the courage to apologise for her reprehensible actions. I think it takes a degree of courage to be able to apologise, which is worthy of commendation, but what is so alarming is during the course of the Hon. Jing Lee's apology for her actions she has made plain the motivations that she had in withdrawing her pair from the Hon. Michelle Lensink who is currently suffering from breast cancer and undertaking important treatment.

There is a crisis at the heart of the alternative government of this state when a woman feels as though she should have to withdraw her pair from a fellow colleague who is undertaking treatment for breast cancer because she believes her preselection is at risk—because her preselection is at risk. She makes it clear, and I will quote the remarks of the Hon. Jing Lee:

I wasn't thinking clearly and was put into a compromising situation.

I made an unthinkable decision under pressure because I had a grave concern about my upper house preselection…

What sort of show is the Leader of the Opposition running? What sort of show and outfit is the alternate government of the state when a woman is feeling as though—or any member of parliament for that matter—her preselection is going to be compromised if she honours a pair with someone suffering from breast cancer?

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Order, members to my left!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: It is now time—

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Leader!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: —for the Leader of the Opposition—

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): The leader is warned.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: It is now time for the Leader of the Opposition to show some leadership and make some active inquiries as to who was threatening the preselection of the Hon. Jing Lee.

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Premier—

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Who was threatening the preselection?

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Premier, please resume your seat. The next person who interjects on my left will be ejected from the parliament.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Well, no, you are starting it, leader. Is this an interjection? Are you disagreeing with my ruling?

Members interjecting:

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Have you finished? Premier.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: When matters of conscience are debated in this place, it is entirely appropriate for people to have different opinions, to be able to argue their case with passion and enthusiasm. I have always stated that people of good intent can arrive at very different conclusions on these matters, and that is something that we have been able to practise and honour in this house for time immemorial, and respect one another.

When someone is having their preselection threatened, not on the substantive matter of the bill but having their preselection threatened on whether or not they honour a pair with a colleague—ostensibly from the same party—who is suffering cancer, then something is seriously wrong. The Hon. Ms Lee has said that:

…events in the lead-up to the vote left her feeling unsafe, unsupported, panicked and ultimately 'blindsided by fear'.

That requires a response from the Leader of the Opposition. That requires a response from the South Australian division—

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): Premier, I understand what you are saying. It is the convention that we do not quote from the Hansard of the other house, so feel free to make your point but the other house has no opportunity to respond. This is my advice.

An honourable member: It's in The Advertiser.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr Odenwalder): It's reported in The Advertiser? If you are quoting from The Advertiser I will listen to it.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I think South Australians are right to be concerned about what forces are infiltrating the Liberal Party. We have heard about dark forces from others who have elected to leave. What dark forces are infiltrating the Liberal Party to result in an increasingly extreme view that will allow this outcome to occur?

John Howard spoke at length about the idea of a broad church within the Liberal Party. Well, there is no broad church when people of a different view on a conscience matter have been kicked out at the very prospect of honouring a pair. There is no broad church in the Liberal Party. There is only extremism, and the Leader of the Opposition should call it out and do something about it.

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