SMALL BUSINESS

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): Thank you, sir. Given that the Premier has disputed my figure of $120 million, can the Premier enlighten the parliament as to what the cost of the abolition of the payroll tax exemption for apprentices and trainees was for the forward estimates?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:18): At the time that we made the announcements concerning that, there were strong policy reasons for changing the way in which we grappled with payroll tax changes. What we saw were behaviours about the reclassification of employees which were simply, in our view, designed to take inappropriate advantage of that exemption. We decided to recalibrate those arrangements to look at a finalisation payment for apprentices which was, we believe, a better policy response and which also provided a financial benefit that was directed at the public policy purpose that we were seeking to promote. So we make no apology for that, and we also make no apology for the fact that we have put $200 million of payroll tax relief into the South Australian business community.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the leader and the deputy leader to order. I forgot to call the member for Morialta to order last time and do so now. I ask the leader if he can remember that question he was going to ask. You have the call.