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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-06-23 Daily Xml
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SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AQUATIC AND LEISURE CENTRE

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing a question about the Marion Swimming Centre, otherwise known as the State Aquatic Centre construction site.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS: I have been quite disturbed by reports from workers on the site at Oaklands Park of the proposed State Aquatic Centre that the Premier's office contacted the construction site to organise a photo shoot. That is not problem in itself. However, on a visit to the site, the staff who are in the PR department were concerned that it would not look like much has been done in the last month or so at the site. Anyone who is familiar with the construction would understand that, at the moment, the footings are all down but it does not look like much is going on, and there is much work to be done.

They raised the concern that it would not look good for the photo opportunity and they asked if wall structures could perhaps be put up sometime soon in the process because that would make a better backdrop for the public relations photo shoot. It was explained to the staff of the Premier's office that this was not really possible because the wall structures were currently being painted at the paint shop. They were off site and not ready to go in as yet.

Apparently, the public relations staff insisted that they should get their priorities right, bring in the wall structures and erect them, despite the fact that they had not yet been painted. That was duly done. The wall structures were transported to the site, erected for the shoot, and then they were removed and sent back to the paint shop. I understand that, when the time came to do the photo shoot, the Premier was not available because, as we know, he was overseas.

It is reported to me that the cost of this work—taking the structures from the paint shop, transporting them to the construction site, erecting them, and then of course taking them down—including machinery and labour, I do believe, amounted to approximately $40,000.

Can the minister confirm to the council what was the exact amount of money that was unnecessarily expended in the name of a public relations exercise for the Premier's office?

The Hon. S.G. Wade: Taxpayers' money.

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS: Taxpayers' money. Can the minister also clarify what is the public relations budget for the State Aquatic Centre project? Will it absorb this particular cost? Did it, indeed, predict this exorbitant and, I believe, unnecessary cost? If so, is this standard government practice for similar government projects? If it was not predicted, can the minister give an indication where this expense will be borne? Will it be by the project itself or will it be allocated to a public relations budget in the Premier's department, specifically his office? If it is to be borne by the project, how does the minister justify this when community sport and recreation are currently so starved of funds?

The PRESIDENT: The honourable minister will disregard the opinion in the question.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister Assisting the Premier in Public Sector Management) (14:50): The honourable member I think said the information had come from a worker down there. Is that correct?

The Hon. T.A. Jennings: Several workers.

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: By a worker, yes. Undoubtedly, the honourable member sought to see if the facts were correct, did she?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Did the honourable member make any attempt to see if those facts were correct?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY: Let's investigate this. The idea that somehow or other there would be hoardings put up when the Premier was away sounds to me to be completely fanciful, but I will make sure my colleagues make investigations.

I would remind the honourable member that, although it is easy to get cheap publicity out of this place, it is incumbent upon members of parliament to at least make some initial inquiries. There are lots of rumours that float around this town—lots and lots of rumours—but a lot of them are not necessarily correct. However, we will investigate the matter and see what the facts are.

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