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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-09-12 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Government Business

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (15:10): There are lots of questions being asked, not so many good answers, though, that is for sure, from this government. We have seen another week when the government has failed to answer the most basic questions around several topics that are close to the hearts of South Australians: ramping, cost of living and, of course, child protection as well.

I rise to speak about some of these events that we have seen in the parliament this week. On Tuesday, there was an unprecedented attack on democracy. We saw the Labor Party use its majority. We saw the majority oppress the minority in this house. What a savage attack on democracy. Some are saying even more guillotines used than in parts of the French Revolution. It was absolutely outrageous.

What we saw is this government stifle debate on not one, not two but I believe it was around 11 pieces of legislation. They have now used this tactic again, I believe, to guillotine another four bills—so around 15 bills. What a shocking display of arrogance.

Usually the arrogance comes a bit later in a term, but, no, two years and we are already seeing such hubris from this government. It will be this hubris, this arrogance, that will bring this Labor government down like past Labor governments. What a shocking display of arrogance.

We saw the Leader of Government Business, the member for West Torrens, in this house guillotine around 15 bills preventing members from debating the merits of the bill. Tell me, why is an electorate on that side of the chamber worth more than an electorate on this side of the chamber? It is absolutely outrageous and they are gagging communities. It is absolutely outrageous and we will continue to call it out because it is not good enough that members are being prevented from debating the merits of a bill or making representations on behalf of their respective electorates, their respective residents.

What is really interesting is what the member for West Torrens actually said in this parliament in 2008. What did he say about using the guillotine? Let's have a look. He said this:

… and this may haunt me one day—[it] is an abuse of the parliamentary system and a measure that should be used sparingly, unless it is in the public interest.

I wish he were in here to hear it, but of course he has escaped back to his office because he does not like hearing the truth. He cannot handle the truth.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: What, so sensitive? Why? Is it something I said?

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Members on my left! There is a point of order.

Mr ODENWALDER: Point of order: the member is referring to a member's presence or otherwise in the chamber.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Florey, I don't need your advice.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Leader, will you resume your seat, please. The next member on my left to interrupt will leave the chamber, whether you have a grievance or not.

Mr Cowdrey: Doesn't matter if you are on the right.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: No, I have spoken to them already. I don't need your advice, member for Colton.

Mr Pederick interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Hammond!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: I compliment the member for Florey. His ability outweighs his ambition.

Mr Brown: I'm not intimidated by you. You don't have videos of me, mate.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Okay, I will move on, sir.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader, could I suggest you stick to your script.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Thank you. In other extraordinary events this week, I asked the Premier to apologise for the lie that the Labor Party told South Australians in March 2022 when they said that they would fix the ramping crisis. They told them to vote a certain way like their lives depended on it.

Well, as we have recently heard, the head of the Premier's Delivery Unit told us in a Budget and Finance Committee only recently that the government is now not planning to fix ramping but only make progress. That follows two of the worst months of ramping in our history—110,000 hours or so lost to the ramp—and this government is just getting started. It is only going to get worse under this government.

This week we also asked the government what it is doing to help small businesses that are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing power bills. If you do not believe me, why don't you listen to some of the biggest brands in South Australia, brands like Nippy's, Vili's and all the other brands like Seeley that are coming out and saying that it has never been harder than it is at the moment. Well, it is only going to get worse. There are reports that those beloved brands that I have spoken about are facing overnight power increases: sometimes 18 per cent, sometimes 60 per cent.

Whether or not these outrageous spikes will continue, you can rest assured that what you are going to see under this Labor government is, unfortunately, an increase in the cost of food and essentials for South Australian households. It is only going to keep getting worse. We know that the cost of living is the biggest challenge facing South Australians and that is why we will continue to advocate for them here in this place and out in the community. The government can stifle debate as much as possible, but you can bet your bottom dollar that we will not stop until the people of South Australia help us to remove this arrogant Labor government.

Then, of course, today we asked the government serious questions about the state of our child protection system and we could not even get the most basic of decent answers from the minister, a minister who has failed and continues to be protected by this arrogant cabinet and this arrogant Premier. We will continue to focus relentlessly to make sure that we hold this arrogant government to account.

Members interjecting:

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide has the floor.

Mr Patterson: You just have a good time there. Don't worry about your constituents' power bills in Ascot Park.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Member for Morphett! I gather you are leaving; do it quietly.

Ms HOOD: Mr Deputy Speaker, I have guests today who would like to listen to my grieve. I wouldn't mind my clock starting again.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, we will start the clock again.

Mr TELFER: Point of order, sir.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr TELFER: Sir, the member for Elder referred to me using a highly offensive, derogatory term. I ask her to please apologise and withdraw that comment.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: I didn't hear the comment because of all the ruckus on my left. Having said that, it is a subjective test, so I would ask the member for Elder to withdraw and apologise, please.

Ms CLANCY: I withdraw and apologise.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: People on my left, can you keep it down? The member for Adelaide has the floor, uninterrupted.

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