EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:29): But, following the Premier's answer that different agencies have different forecasts, can the Premier advise which state government agency has a growth projection forecast that predicts the creation of 100,000 jobs between 2010 and 2016?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:29): That remains the objective of the economic agencies of government. That is our target—to achieve 100,000 jobs by 2016—and we are not going to sacrifice it just because the opposition says that it's a hard target to reach. It will remain our purpose because it's at the heart of the Labor project. It's the thing that drives our budget strategy to invest $10.1 billion—

Mr Pisoni: How is that working?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —in capital projects to ensure—

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Unley to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —that we sustain employment in this economy. It's the reason why we have not slashed deeply into services and jobs in the South Australian public sector, because we know—

The Hon. I.F. Evans interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Davenport to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —that to do that at this time would devastate employment and would further deepen—

Mr Gardner: You're making it up.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —the uncertainty that exists—

The SPEAKER: I warn the member for Morialta for the first time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —in the economic circumstances that are presented to us. This is at the heart of the strategy that is set down in the budget, the strategy which is about jobs growth. We fully accept that it is a challenging task to achieve 100,000 jobs growth, but we will not abandon that objective.