Oppn MP suspended from Parliament (ABC)

Deputy Opposition leader Vickie Chapman has been suspended from question time by the Speaker during a row about public donations. She had been warned twice for interjecting before being named by the Speaker. Ms Chapman says the Commissioner of Charitable Funds is holding onto $145,000 donated by the public to the Mount Gambier Hospital for a new hydrotherapy facility. She says the money should go back to donors, but cannot be refunded because hospital boards which managed donations have been abolished. "The Government have abolished hospital boards in this state who otherwise had control and responsibility for the application of donations to hospitals," she said. "We want this money back and it is quite unacceptable that the Government continues to fail to return it." The State Government says laws will be changed to allow... [read full story]