29 November 2023
The Hon. R.A. SIMMS: I rise to indicate the Greens will support the amendments and the passage of the bill through the upper house, as we did previously. But I do wish to highlight for the chamber the breathtaking about-face of the government, who just moments ago opposed a very sensible proposal from the Hon. Frank Pangallo relating to the publication of ministerial diaries. They have allowed a very reasonable proposal from me that passed this chamber—a bill which they keep referencing as the Rolls-Royce model; it is a bill that has actually passed this chamber—that would bring South Australia into line with other jurisdictions, and they have not passed it.
I challenge the government in the new year, now that they have supported this and made it a priority—and obviously they have judged this on its merits; this is a proposal that is more meritorious, and the Hon. Sarah Game has been much more pleasant to deal with than me—and I urge the government, having made that decision, to fast-track the Greens bill for the publication of ministerial diaries in the new year to plug the gap that they are so concerned about.
They indicated they would not support the motion of the Hon. Frank Pangallo just minutes ago because it was a motion. There is a very good bill that has passed this chamber that they should prioritise in the new year. If they do not do so, then people will start to ask why. Why? They really have a lot of explaining to do in this regard, and they need to explain to the people of South Australia why they are letting one transparency measure languish while another has been fast-tracked. What is going on here?