1.

Council met pursuant to adjournment.  The President (The Hon. R. K. Sneath) took the Chair.

                 The President read prayers.

Meeting of
Council.

    2.

The following Papers were laid upon the Table, viz.:

        By the Minister for Environment and Conservation (The Hon. G. E. Gago) -

                 Local Government Superannuation Scheme - Report on the Actuarial Investigation as at 30 June 2005.

Papers.

   3.

The Hon. J. M. Gazzola brought up the Second Report, 2006 of the Legislative Review Committee.

Legislative
Review
Committee -
Second Report,
2006.

   4.

The Minister for Police (The Hon. P. Holloway), by leave, tabled a copy of a Ministerial Statement made by the Premier (The Hon. M. D. Rann, M.P.) concerning the Explosion at Gladstone.

Ministerial
Statement Tabled.

   5.

In accordance with Sessional Standing Order, the President called on Members to make Statements on Matters of Interest.

Statements on
Matters of Interest.

   6.

The Hon. N. Xenophon, having obtained leave to amend the motion for which notice had been given, moved -

    I.      That a Select Committee of the Legislative Council be appointed to inquire into and report on -

(a)     The structure of the wholesale and retail market in South Australia for petrol, diesel and LPG fuels;

(b)    The impact of the 2003 closure of the Port Stanvac refinery and fuel storage facilities have had on the reliability and pricing of petrol and diesel for South Australian consumers;

(c)          (i)      The agreement entered into between the Government of South Australia and any entity or entities over the closure of the Port Stanvac refinery and fuel storage facilities;

              (ii)      The effect of the closure of Port Stanvac on the price and availability of petrol and diesel in South Australia;

             (iii)      The effect of the agreement on aiding or impeding wholesale competition for petrol and diesel in South Australia;

(d)    The nature and extent of competition in the wholesale petrol, diesel and LPG market in South Australia and the impact of such on the supply and pricing of these products to South Australian consumers;

(e)     The practices and conduct of oil companies operating in South Australia (including Mobil, Caltex, Shell and BP), and the impact of such on the supply and pricing of petroleum fuels in South Australia;

(f)     Whether the South Australian industry, the farming sector, emergency and essential services operators have been affected by any issues relating to the supply of diesel and petrol since 2003, and, if so, whether such matters have been addressed satisfactorily, or need to be so addressed;

(g)    The potential impact on consumers of the price of petrol and diesel in South Australia of fuel storage facilities not controlled by major oil companies;

(h)    The potential role of Government to facilitate wholesale competition for petrol and diesel in South Australia and any infrastructure issues relating thereto;

(i)      The environmental state of the Port Stanvac refinery site and the steps needed to ensure that the site is returned to an acceptable environmental state; and

(j)      Any other matters;

   II.      That Standing Order No. 389 be so far suspended as to enable the Chairperson of the Committee to have a deliberative vote only;

III.      That this Council permits the Select Committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it sees fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the Committee prior to such evidence being presented to the Council;

IV.      That Standing Order No. 396 be suspended to enable strangers to be admitted when the Select Committee is examining witnesses unless the Committee otherwise resolves, but they shall be excluded when the Committee is deliberating; and

   V.      That the evidence given to the previous Legislative Council Select Committee on Pricing, Refining, Storage and Supply of Fuel in South Australia, be tabled and referred to the Select Committee.

                 Debate ensued.

                 On motion of the Hon. D. W. Ridgway, the debate was adjourned until Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Pricing, Refining,
Storage and
Supply of Fuel
in South Australia -
Motion for Select Committee on.

   7.

Ordered - That Notice of Motion (Private Business) No. 2 be an Order of the Day for Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Postponement
of Business.

   8.

Ordered - separately - That Orders of the Day (Private Business) No. 1 and No. 2 be Orders of the Day for Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Postponement
of Business.

   9.

On the Order of the Day being read for the adjourned debate on the question - That the Upper South East Dryland and Flood Management (Natural Resources Committee) Amendment Bill be now read a second time:

                 Debate resumed.

                 On motion of the Hon. B. V. Finnigan, the debate was adjourned until Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Upper South East
Dryland and Flood
Management
(Natural Resources
Committee)
Amendment Bill.

10.

On the Order of the Day being read for the adjourned debate on the motion of the Hon. R. I. Lucas -

    I.      That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire into and report upon all matters relating to the issue of the collection of property taxes by State and Local Government, including sewerage charges by SA Water, and in particular -

(a)     concerns about the current level of property taxies and options for moderating their impact and the impact of any future increases;

(b)    concerns about inequities in the land tax collection system, including the impact on investment and the rental market;

(c)     concerns about inequities in the current property valuation system and options to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the valuation process;

(d)    consideration of alternative taxation options to taxes based on property valuations;

(e)     concerns about the current level of council rates and options for moderating their impact and the impact of any future increases; and

(f)     any other related matters;

   II.      That Standing Order No. 389 be so far suspended as to enable the Chairperson of the Committee to have a deliberative vote only;

III.      That this Council permits the Select Committee to authorise the disclosure or publication, as it sees fit, of any evidence or documents presented to the Committee prior to such evidence being reported to the Council;

IV.      That Standing Order No. 396 be suspended to enable strangers to be admitted when the Select Committee is examining witnesses unless the Committee otherwise resolves, but they shall be excluded when the Committee is deliberating; and

   V.      That the evidence given to the previous Legislative Council Select Committee on the Collection of Property Taxes by State and Local Government, including Sewerage Charges by SA Water, be tabled and referred to the Select Committee.:

                 Debate resumed.

                 On motion of the Hon. R. P. Wortley, the debate was adjourned until Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Collection of
Property Taxes by
State and Local
Government,
including Sewerage
Charges by
SA Water -
Motion for Select Committee on.

11.

Ordered - separately - That Orders of the Day (Private Business) No. 5 and No. 6 be Orders of the Day for Wednesday, 31 May 2006.

Postponement
of Business.

12.

On the Order of the Day being read for the adjourned debate on the question - That the Address in Reply, as read, be adopted:

                 Debate resumed.

                 On motion of the Minister for Police, the debate was adjourned until next day of sitting.

Address in Reply.

13.

Ordered - That the remaining Orders of the Day (Government Business) be Orders of the Day for next day of sitting.

Postponement
of Business.

14.

Council adjourned at twenty-five minutes to six o’clock until tomorrow at fifteen minutes past two o’clock.

Adjournment.

_________________________

Members present during any part of the sitting:

The Hon. A. M. Bressington

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins

The Hon. A. L. Evans

The Hon. B. V. Finnigan

The Hon. G. E. Gago

The Hon. J. M. Gazzola

The Hon. P. Holloway

The Hon. D.G.E. Hood

The Hon. I. K. Hunter

The Hon. S. M. Kanck

The Hon. R. D. Lawson

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink

The Hon. R. I. Lucas

The Hon. M. C. Parnell

The Hon. D. W. Ridgway

The Hon. C. V. Schaefer

The Hon. T. J. Stephens

The Hon. S. G. Wade

The Hon. R. P. Wortley

The Hon. N. Xenophon

The Hon. C. Zollo