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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-31 Daily Xml
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Question Time

LANCE ARMSTRONG

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Tourism a question about secrecy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: The disgraced drug cheat, Lance Armstrong, sat side by side with premier Mike Rann during the cheat's three Tour Down Under appearances from 2009 to 2011. The dope fiend called the premier 'my mate Ranny' and urged people to vote for him in the upcoming elections. Details of the financial arrangements between the drug peddler and the government remain a closely guarded secret, although we know that as well as an appearance fee taxpayers shelled out for his lodgings, his food, refreshments, a hire car and a police guard. We now learn from the tourism minister that former Olympic track cyclist Chris Hoy will be coming to Australia in January to spruik the 2014 Tour Down Under. My questions are:

1. How much is Chris Hoy being paid?

2. What is the total cost to taxpayers of bringing Chris Hoy to Adelaide two months before the election?

3. If the Victorian government feels no need for confidentiality over the money it pays to sporting figures like Tiger Woods, why does the South Australian government keep the money our citizens pay to these identities a closely-guarded secret?

4. Finally, has the government made any progress in getting our money back from Lance Armstrong since the then tourism minister (Hon. Gail Gago) promised in parliament in October last year that the government would investigate that avenue?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for his important question. It is a shame, really, that he is asking these old, dead, tired questions when what he should really be asking about is how the Minister for Tourism (Leon Bignell) in another place has brought AirAsia X to South Australia to fly more Asian customers and more Asian tourists to Adelaide.

That is the question he should be asking. He should be asking about the economy of the state. He should be asking about the great goals that the Minister for Tourism in the other place is kicking but, no, he is rehashing old stories. That is all they can do—rehash old stories—because they have no new ideas of their own.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary question, the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

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