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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-29 Daily Xml
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Question Time

FORMER MEMBER FOR HAMMOND

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Mineral Resources Development, as the Leader of the Government, a question about the agreement with the former member for Hammond on becoming Speaker of the House of Assembly in 2003.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Members will all recall that the Labor Party formed government in this state after doing a deal with the then member for Hammond.

The Hon. Carmel Zollo interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I know it is out of order to respond to an interjection, but the minister opposite interjects that it was the same when we signed. Well, it is our word against yours. The South Australian community knows that you have not told the truth in most of the things that you have done. We know that it was not the same agreement.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable member will refrain from getting off his question and responding to interjections.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Thank you for your protection, Mr President. Incidentally, if the minister is talking about documents, I would like to see the documents in relation to the structural engineer's discussion paper tabled which he promised a couple of weeks ago. We have yet to see that. Again, he promises but never delivers. In relation to the agreement with the former member for Hammond, there were a number of components to it. Of course, will all know it was a love/hate relationship that developed between the government and the former member for Hammond.

The Hon. B.V. Finnigan: No, it was a hate/hate relationship.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The Hon. Bernard Finnigan talks about a hate/hate relationship. I guess there is still one of those going on with some members of the Labor Party internally at present.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I am sorry, Mr President, I could not help myself with that interjection. So there was agreement for the eradication of broomrape (which, of course, this government has failed to do); a constitutional convention (which I think took a lot of money and a lot of effort and delivered very little); and, of course, the former member for Hammond wanted to build a weir or a lock at Wellington (and we are still seeing the government playing with that particular idea). But, in particular, I am concerned about the relationship between the government and the former member for Hammond. My question to the minister is: is the minister aware of any instances where any government department may have given the former member for Hammond preferential treatment; and, in particular, in relation to mineral exploration licences?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (14:23): I do not know where the honourable member is coming from. There was a story in The Advertiser some weeks ago relating to a legal case that is now taking place involving a former employee of Mr Lewis, but unfortunately that matter is still before the courts. I would love to be able to tell the full story on it. I am sure that one day I will, because I think that the full story will surprise members opposite. It will certainly blow up in their faces if they think that there was any sort of impropriety or preferential treatment shown to Mr Lewis. In fact, it will show the reverse but, nevertheless, I am restrained from commenting on that particular case in relation to—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: I know you haven't, because that is the way you operate. Of course you wouldn't ask a straight question and come out and say it; of course you wouldn't come out and say it, but I was waiting for the question. I have no doubt that that is what the Leader of the Opposition was referring to but, in relation to other agencies giving favourable treatment, I am not aware of anything. If the leader wishes to come up with any examples, let him do so but if, as I suspect, he is trying to create some mischief in relation to the matters that are currently the subject of a court case, then unfortunately we will all have to wait until that matter is resolved. However, I will be only too pleased when that information can be released.

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