Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-16 Daily Xml

Contents

Holmes, Mr Allan

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Environment and other portfolio areas a couple of questions regarding the CEO appointment and staff cuts.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Minister, it has been noted that Mr Holmes is no longer the CEO of your department. I ask whether or not his contract expired or whether he was pushed. If so, when was his contract due to expire and how much money have you paid out to get rid of Mr Holmes? How many of the staff have been reduced and are intended to be reduced in the department in the forward estimates of this budget period?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:19): I tentatively thank the honourable member for his question, but I have to say that sort of nasty commentary, which he is picking up from the Hon. Mr Lucas, is unbecoming of the Hon. Mr Brokenshire. He purports to hold himself up as a moral standard for us all, yet he comes in here and talks about getting rid of people, and is he pushed, or otherwise. It is totally unnecessary. Again, he is a man who comes in here telling us he has high standards and then tosses them into the gutter.

The PRESIDENT: Point of order.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: Point of order: the chamber knows I have high standards, I want to know whether the minister has any standards.

The PRESIDENT: There is no point of order.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I have to challenge his premise that the chamber knows he has high standards. On the evidence of his behaviour in this place, clearly the question is alive.

The PRESIDENT: Supplementary, Hon. Ms Lensink.