Question Time

STATE ECONOMY

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:05): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier explain why, after 10 years of Labor government, our state now has the nation's lowest business confidence, the nation's lowest retail sales growth, the nation's lowest export growth, the nation's lowest growth in housing starts, the nation's worst performing workers compensation system, the nation's highest youth unemployment rate, the lowest property sales figures in 27 years, and the nation's highest taxes?

The SPEAKER: The Leader of the Opposition has to understand that there were a lot of imputations in that question that I hope she can justify. However, if the Premier chooses to answer the question he can.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:05): We don't accept the characterisation of the South Australian economy in the way in which the honourable member has described. We have, as a state, set out a very clear vision for the future of our state. It builds on our traditional strengths in agriculture, food and fisheries. It seeks to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You have asked the question and the Premier is answering it.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I am articulating a vision for the state, which is something that those opposite are incapable of doing.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: They are incapable of articulating a positive vision for South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: We have listened to the Premier for half a minute. He has been debating and not attempting to answer the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: When you ask a question that will inflame the government, I think you can expect to get a whack back, but, Premier, you will return to the question.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: South Australia has grown over the last financial year by 2.4 per cent in 2010-11, while Australia's gross domestic product grew by 2.1 per cent, so that completely contradicts the proposition advanced by the Leader of the Opposition. We grew faster than the national average in the last 12-month period that was recorded. Our per capita GDP growth has outstripped the national average also, consistently, in the last period of time. These are incontrovertible statistics which are—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The opposition are always fond of picking and choosing, like a box of chocolates, those things that they like the look of.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What I am telling you is that the general measure of our economy, which is gross state product, grew faster than the national average in the last measurable year.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That is the simple truth and the simple facts. Like all economies within the national economy, there are different effects depending on the nature of the particular statistic that you are looking at. For instance, in relation to investment, we grew faster than the other economies which are described as the non-resource economies. For instance, the economies of Australia—when you take out of the national economic picture Queensland and Western Australia, the rate of investment grew here stronger than in any of the other states. That is a fact, it is an incontrovertible fact, and it is a sign of the economic strength of South Australia.

Our per capita GDP growth—that is, the growth of the state as standardised for the number of people living in the state—is also stronger than the national average. This is evidence of robust strength and growth in the state economy, not signs of weakness. I know that those opposite only have one strategy, which is to talk down South Australia and not offer any alternative vision for South Australia. Of course—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —we know why that is. It is because the leader is incapable of delivering that because she rules a divided party, a party that does not give her the space to allow her to articulate a vision, because why would you?

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order: I think the Premier is clearly going into debate now.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is responding to your question, but I would ask him to go back to the question. Have you finished? The member for Taylor.