STATE FINAL DEMAND

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): Final supplementary on this, sir.

The SPEAKER: Oh, only two!

Mr MARSHALL: Does the Premier remain confident that we will still record his revised growth figure of 1.75 per cent, which was given to the people of South Australia in December last year?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:09): Well, just one more sleep and you'll be able to see the sorts of estimates we make about the economy and how it's going to grow into the future, in the state budget, when we publish that data. For those opposite who are looking to take some comfort in positive data, I can offer this to the house: in April 2013, South Australia's—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, this bears on our estimates about the future of the economy—that is, some of the green shoots that we are actually seeing. In April 2013, South Australia's seasonally adjusted total employment increased by 5,300 people to reach 826,700 people. In trend terms, total employment increased by 1,200 people to 823,300.

All of this growth was in full-time employment with no change in part-time employment. So, total employment in South Australia is at the highest levels on record, both on seasonally adjusted terms and on trend terms. This is when we have a world which is racked with the after-effects of the global financial crisis; we are seeing that data. We are seeing 132,200 more people in work than in March 2002.

Just to give you some idea, if you think, 'Well, what about more recently?' since September last year more full-time jobs have been created—7,200 jobs—than under the entire term of the last Liberal government—6,000. So, just in 12 months alone, under the government as it is presently constituted we have created 7,200 jobs to the whole of the term of the last Liberal government's 6,000.

If you are looking for some other positive signs in the economy, South Australia's seasonally adjusted new dwelling approvals rose by 8 per cent in April, to be 31 per cent higher than the year earlier. Compare this nationally, where dwelling approvals rose by 9.1 per cent during the month, to be 27 per cent higher than a year earlier, so outstripping the national growth in dwelling approvals. All that will be devastating news for those opposite, who are desperately searching around for something they have to say about the South Australian economy.

Mr MARSHALL: Mr Speaker, I know that I said that was my final supplementary, but the Premier's wide-ranging answer to a very—

The SPEAKER: Yes, in fact, it will be your last supplementary; two I think is quite sufficient. The member for Kaurna.