OLYMPIC DAM

Mr WILLIAMS (MacKillop—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:25): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier stand by his pre-2006 election promise of 23,000 jobs from the proposed Olympic Dam mine expansion and when will these jobs be delivered? In a media release on 20 February 2006, prior to the 2006 state election, the Premier stated that the Olympic Dam mine was poised to more than double in size and create 23,000 jobs. The dictionary defines 'poised' as fully prepared or in a position and about to do something; teetering on the edge of a sudden change; absolutely ready. BHP chief executive has warned that it would be very difficult to approve the $21 billion expansion of Olympic Dam if the commonwealth resource super profits tax was introduced in its current form.

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:26): I am pleased that the deputy leader is using the dictionary. I would have to say that I thought some interjections made by this side of house were quite uncalled for in relation to your three votes for the deputy leadership and saying that there were really only two extra votes, because that assumed that the deputy leader voted for himself.

On the question of Olympic Dam, what we have done in terms of the 23,000 is simply taken the advice from the company. Of course, I know that this is uncomfortable for members opposite who saw Olympic Dam as some kind of mirage in the desert, but the fact is that we have always believed in this mine; we have always believed in this expansion. This government has worked closely with my friend, Marius Kloppers—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. M.D. RANN: —and others from the company in order to make it a reality. They have a world-class resource. Only members opposite do not believe that. Have a look at the comparison. How many extra mines were created during the term of the last Liberal government—zip; zero. How many under ours? Gone from four mines to 11 mines—and, by the end of this year, I am hoping to attend the opening of the 16^th mine—and another 20 in various stages of application, because we initiated the PACE scheme which saw a tenfold expansion in mining exploration. It is not our fault that the Liberal Party in this state is anti-mining. It is not our fault that they tried to talk down the Olympic Dam mine as some kind of mirage in the desert. We stand behind this mine. We stand behind working to do everything we can to achieve its expansion.