I thank all honourable members for their contribution, their interest and, I think, generally their genuine concern about racing in this state. I know that I for one have no qualms whatsoever about instigating this motion in relation to this committee, and I sleep well at night knowing that I am interested in racing and its best interests.
When talking about the possibility of the select committee, the leader in the other place (Martin Hamilton-Smith) said that it was warranted and that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Quite frankly, if the government had played it in such a way that it consulted the opposition and the minor parties, perhaps it would not have come to this. However, typically, it said, ‘We know best, and there is no point consulting with the opposition. We can be privy to information, but you can’t be trusted with that information.’ Of course, straightaway, a cloud of distrust hovered over the issue.
I was pleased to hear the Hon. Bernard Finnigan let us know that, once the police investigation and the OCBA investigations are completed, the Hon. Michael Wright will table the Lipman Karas report. That is a very kind gesture, but I wish that it had been made earlier.
The Hon. B.V. Finnigan interjecting:
The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I am sorry, but that is exactly what you indicated. The opposition looks forward to reading the report, as I am sure do the minor parties. It will be interesting to see why it was held back from us in the first instance.
We are looking for an open and transparent industry and, in my contribution to open this debate, I indicated how much money the people of South Australia contribute to the industry and so we have a genuine interest to make sure that it is open and transparent. I look forward to the support indicated by other members, and I understand why the government will not support this committee—because it has a policy never to support select committees. Heaven knows, it would not want to find the truth about an issue, would it?
I go on the record again to say that, in the forthcoming board elections, I wish all parties well. I have friends and associates on both tickets, and my advice to all parties has been, ‘Elect your board, get on with it and make sure that it is as open and transparent as possible.’ Certainly, in my role as opposition spokesman for racing, I would like to put behind us the scenario, when you attend the races on any given day, of people constantly telling you rumours and innuendos about who is doing what. It is time that we swept in, cleared the air and allowed racing to get on with what should be a very bright future. With those few remarks—
The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:
The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I will respond to that interjection. I am not a member of the SAJC. I am quite happy about the fact that I can look at this from a totally independent point of view. I have invested in racing in the past, and I have a history in racing. The Hon. Ian Hunter probably would not know which end of the horse was going around. He should come along to the inquiry, and I look forward to his participating, should he be the government’s representative. With those few words, I again thank honourable members for their contribution. I look forward to the vote, and I look forward to a positive future for racing when we sweep away the malaise that hangs over it.