SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY

Mrs VLAHOS (Taylor) (14:14): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier advise the house about South Australia's overall social and economic position as we end this year?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:14): I thank the honourable member for this—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —important question on the last sitting day of the year. Can I say that, as the year ends, we look forward to spending some time with family and friends. We also have the opportunity to take stock of where our state has come over the last 12 months. Of course, the government's most important responsibility is to ensure that South Australians have secure, decent, high-paying jobs. It is the central purpose of the Labor Party and it is something that we have taken very seriously. The unemployment rate in South Australia is at 5.6 per cent in a global environment where unemployment is 11.6 per cent in the eurozone, 7.9 per cent in the United States and 7.8 per cent in Great Britain.

Despite the misinformation of those opposite trying to put around in the middle of the year that South Australia was facing a period of negative growth, South Australia saw economic growth per capita in 2011-12 in line with New South Wales and faster than Victoria and Tasmania. Adelaide ends the year still the most competitive Australian city out of those surveyed by KPMG and as the world's equal fifth most liveable city in the world, as estimated by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Our state leads the nation and is among the leading jurisdictions in the globe in renewable energy. We have 50 per cent of the nation's wind power and 25 per cent of power produced by renewables. Our energy industry is benefiting from the burgeoning growth—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —in shale gas, and this year we have seen Santos launch the first unconventional gas well for commercial supply in Australia at Moomba. Our housing remains the most affordable of all mainland states, and our recent Housing Construction Grant will bring home ownership within the reach of even more South Australians.

While the economic fundamentals of the state are positive, Christmas and the festive season is, of course, an important time to remember those who are less fortunate. We have worked hard in South Australia to have the second lowest rate of homelessness in the country, in 2006 we had the fifth lowest and since 2006 the number of rough sleepers has fallen by around 40 per cent. We have also started rolling out individualised support for people with disabilities, with just under 300 clients—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —who have already expressed an interest in individualised funding. There is much to do, but we believe that speaking down the state, as those opposite do, is completely the wrong approach in this environment.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: On any indicator, if you were to compare the performance of this state with jurisdictions around the world, we should be proud of the fact that we live in such a wonderful state.