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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-05-30 Daily Xml
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National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Treasurer.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: During question time on 9 May and again today, the Minister for Human Services not only threw the federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, under a bus by calling him foolhardy, but has also thrown the Treasurer under a bus.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, no political commentary. It's for contextual only.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The Minister for Human Services has repeated her previous assertion that negotiations regarding the NPARIH agreement were happening at a Treasurer to Treasurer level. Will the Treasurer advise:

1. The state of these negotiations?

2. What formal communication he has had with the federal government, given the Minister for Human Services says they were happening at a Treasurer to Treasurer level?

3. When he expects these negotiations to be concluded, given that the tens of millions of dollars per year runs out at the end of this financial year?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:22): I am sorely tempted to say I have nothing further to add. However, I will say marginally more than that.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The government front bench will act with some decorum. Do not provoke the front bench, Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Point of order: I just heard the Minister for Human Services refer to the Leader of the Opposition as a grub. I don't think that's good parliamentary behaviour and I think she should withdraw that.

The PRESIDENT: Minister?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Mr President, I apologise and withdraw that remark.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, minister. Treasurer, please resume your answer.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I had hardly started. I really do not have much further to add to the excellent responses given by my ministerial colleague in relation to the series of questions that the Leader of the Opposition put to—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Treasurer, continue.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I will restate it again: I really have nothing much further to add to the excellent responses given by my ministerial colleague to the series of questions and supplementaries put to her by the Leader of the Opposition in relation to this particular matter. The answers that the minister gave were entirely accurate and the minister's response was also entirely accurate in relation to the general approach, not only of her as minister but also of the government. That is, by and large and in general terms, the government will conduct its negotiations like adults, or like grown-ups, which might be a bit of a surprise to the Leader of the Opposition and others. But the new government believes the most productive way to conduct negotiations with either other governments or, in particular, the federal government is to behave like adults and have sensible, rational discussions in the interests of the people of South Australia.

There will be occasions where the state government will take a strongly differing view to the position of the federal government. Mr President, I remind you and other members of the strong position the incoming government has taken in relation to the GST distribution and horizontal fiscal equalisation, where we have unequivocally nailed our colours to the mast and adopted a different position to the federal government. If it is in ultimately the best interests of the people of South Australia on a negotiation, we will indicate and indicate publicly a difference of opinion, if we have a difference of opinion. Until we get to that stage, we will conduct our negotiations like grown-ups.

As the minister has indicated, there are ongoing discussions in relation to this particular important issue for South Australia. I have been involved, as the minister has indicated, in those discussions, as indeed, more importantly, have Treasury officers in terms of the negotiations of either partnership agreements or federal-state funding arrangements. The role of Treasury officers is obviously important, as are the roles of officers in the respective agencies as well. There is a partnership that needs to be developed. I can only concur with the statement and the answers that my ministerial colleague has given in relation to this particular issue.

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