What was Marshall told about KI port concerns?

A parliamentary committee will today decide whether to call Premier Steven Marshall to give evidence about what he knew or was told about concerns over his Deputy’s perceived conflict in deciding the fate of a $40 million port project on Kangaroo Island.

The committee is investigating whether Vickie Chapman had a conflict when as Planning Minister in August this year, she vetoed the port proposal even though she personally had property holdings on the island directly adjacent impacted land.

In explosive evidence to the committee yesterday, former Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers executive, Peter Lockett, said these concerns were raised in a meeting with former Marshall Ministers, Stephan Knoll, David Ridgway and MacKillop MP, Nick McBride.

Mr Lockett told the committee Mr Ridgway undertook to raise the concerns about Chapman’s involvement directly with the Premier.

Mr Lockett said he was also told the Treasurer, Rob Lucas, was going to raise the Chapman issue directly with the Premier.

Quotes attributable to Shadow Government Accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis

The Premier now must reveal if he was warned by senior members of his Government about his Deputy’s involvement in the Smith Bay development before she took the decision to axe Smith Bay port project.

Was he warned about Chapman’s involvement and what action did he take?

The committee has heard startling evidence that other Liberal MPs and Ministers were aware of the consequences of Chapman’s involvement in the Smith Bay decision, yet the Premier continues to provide his 100% support to the Deputy Premier.