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Posted: 2021-11-30 02:05:12

South Australia's Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has been suspended from state parliament for six days for deliberately misleading the house.

Crossbench MPs, excluding former Liberal Fraser Ellis, sided with Labor to pass a motion 23 votes to 22, finding Ms Chapman guilty of contempt for deliberately misleading parliament.

The finding was possible because resignations of multiple MPs means the Marshall Liberal government no longer commands a majority in the 47-seat House of Assembly.

The successful motion was prompted by statements the Attorney-General made to parliament regarding a decision she made as Planning Minister to refuse a timber port on Kangaroo Island.

The motion said the misleading statements related to Ms Chapman's property and pecuniary interests, proposed transport routes and a government report on alternative wharf sites.

Ms Chapman last week resigned as Deputy Premier and Planning and Local Government Minister.

She has also delegated her powers as Attorney-General to another minister while the Ombudsman investigates whether she had a conflict of interest in refusing a port development on Kangaroo Island.

She has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing, despite a parliamentary committee finding she had a conflict of interest and misled parliament.

Vickie Chapman talks to a cameraman and reporter
Vickie Chapman arrives at parliament last week after resigning as deputy premier.(ABC News)

Chapman prepares for inquiry and election

Ms Chapman gave a one-minute statement to the media from outside her lawyer's office, shortly after the vote occurred, saying she "notes" the decision.

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"My view is well known in relation to the select committee of inquiry, and its alleged finding of facts, and that is a matter which the substance of which has now been considered by the Ombudsman.

"I welcome that and I'll be continuing the legal work necessary to prepare for that inquiry," she said.

Ms Chapman also confirmed she will be contesting the next election to run for the seat of Bragg, which she has held since 2002.

"I will of course, otherwise, see you all at the election and of course proceed with the preparations for that campaign," Ms Chapman said.

"So, thank you very much for your attendance and I look forward to seeing you during the campaign."

After speaking, Ms Chapman walked back into the legal offices without answering questions.

Opposition: Suspension necessary to maintain parliamentary integrity

Labor leader Peter Malinauskas said suspending Vickie Chapman was a necessary move to ensure the integrity of the parliament is maintained.

"If the parliament didn't sanction Vickie Chapman then that would be a green light for ministers of the Crown to walk into the people's parliament and knowingly mislead them with impunity," Mr Malinauskas said.

"That is not a standard that anyone should abide by, particularly the premier.

"Apparently he's comfortable with it, well the rest of the parliament isn't and that's why they've decided to act."

Susan Close stands next to Peter Malinauskas.
Labor originally called for Vickie Chapman to be suspended for nine days. (ABC News: Nick Harmsen)

Mr Malinauskas said the move only happened because the premier failed to act sooner.

"Had Steven Marshall shown leadership and actually dismissed Vickie Chapman… then the parliament wouldn't be doing what it did today," he said.

"There would be no need to suspend the Attorney-General, she would have paid penance for the significant act of wrongdoing that clearly, she has undertaken," Mr Malinauskas said.

Labor originally proposed a nine-day suspension and also required Ms Chapman to publicly apologise for her conduct, but the motion was watered down.

Mr Malinauskas was not aware of why the changes were made, but said it likely came after discussions with the crossbench.

"Naturally there's probably been negotiations that have gone on throughout the course of the morning," Mr Malinauskas said.

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