Attorney-General Vickie Chapman ‘not aware’ forest next to her Kangaroo Island property involved in seaport proposal

The Attorney-General has accused Labor MPs of exploiting a family tragedy, as she insisted her decision to reject a KI seaport had nothing to do with her island property.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman has told an inquiry she was “not aware” a forest across the road from her Kangaroo Island property would have been felled under a seaport proposal she rejected.

Ms Chapman has given evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into whether she had a conflict of interest, breached the ministerial code of conduct or misled parliament in rejecting Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers’ proposal to build a $40m seaport at Smith Bay.

The Opposition claimed it had evidence Ms Chapman had a conflict of interest in the matter because she owned land on KI.

On Tuesday, the inquiry heard Ms Chapman owned property “across the road” from a forest from which haulage trucks would collect timber to take to the seaport under KIPT’s proposal.

It also heard Ms Chapman in 2017 – as deputy opposition leader – opposed the development, telling KIPT they had “picked the wrong location” for the seaport.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman fronts the parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Ms Chapman on Wednesday confirmed she owned land on the northwest coast of KI, including a property that operates as a private rental next to a forest. Ms Chapman inherited the property adjacent the forest from her late father. She had also inherited property on KI from her late brother Jim.

Asked if she knew the forest would have been felled as part of the seaport plan, Ms Chapman said: “I’m not aware of it”.

Ms Chapman was also asked if she accepted she should have inquired about whether KIPT had an interest in the forest next to her private rental, because the property and the forest were shown in maps in an assessment report submitted to her for consideration.

“(The owner of the forest) hadn’t indicated to me that he has any association with KIPT,” she said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Chapman defiantly told the inquiry she did “not consider that I have any conflict of interest”.

A map Labor says appears to show property owned by Vickie Chapman on Kangaroo Island land across the road from land affected by a $40 million development that she rejected.

The inquiry also heard a department document had been prepared that suggested Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink could be delegated the authority to make a decision on the seaport proposal should Ms Chapman recuse herself.

Following the hearing, Ms Chapman issued a statement, declaring the inquiry had “failed to uncover anything new, failed to find evidence to support its wild and inflammatory claims, and, above all else, failed the people of South Australia”.

She said any logging on the forest would occur whether or not the seaport was approved.

Ms Chapman also accused committee chair Andrea Michaels – a Labor MP – of trying to politicise the 2017 suicide of her brother Jim, from whom she inherited KI property.

“I forgive, but I do not forget,” she said.

Opposition government accountability spokesman Tom Koutsantonis said Ms Chapman provided “unsatisfactory answers” to the inquiry and called on her to resign or be sacked.

In rejecting the seaport proposal in August, Ms Chapman cited the potential effects on surrounding businesses, the marine environment, and biosecurity risks as being among the reasons for her decision.

The committee will present its inquiry report to parliament on November 18.

It is likely the crossbenchers would require ironclad evidence of wrongdoing in the committee’s report before backing any no-confidence motion put by Labor against Ms Chapman.

In particular, Speaker Dan Cregan, a solicitor before entering parliament, is unlikely to exercise a casting vote and support any no-confidence motion without strong evidence.