YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is again to the Premier. Why has the South Australian youth unemployment rate risen to 41.6 per cent, the highest of all states in the country and the highest in 16 years?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:19): Thank you, Mr Speaker. The opposition continues to perpetrate this furphy about youth unemployment. The truth is that we are talking about the cohort of 15 to 19 year olds.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morphett is warned for the second and final time. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The true figure—and a moment's thought would allow you to realise that most of those young people of that age are actually studying. So, if you look at the proportion of those young people actually looking for work, of the whole population of young people of that age, it is 4.3 per cent. So, the unemployment rate for 15 to 19 year olds is 4.3 per cent. The national average is 4 per cent.

Ms Thompson: Really?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Yes. So this is the nonsense that those opposite perpetrate. Because they like the statistical sound of 41 per cent, because they want to shock and talk down the South Australian economy every time, they use that—

Mr Pengilly: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: I am sorry?

Mr PENGILLY: Standing order 98, sir, in my view, and I ask you to concur.

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully to see if the member for Finniss's view is correct.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What is interesting is that the opposition fails to mention that the number of young people unemployed in this state has reduced dramatically since this government has been in power. Instead of the record of those opposite, in the last unemployment figures released under the Liberal government, there were 7,900 young people in South Australia who were unemployed and looking for work—significantly more than now: 4,600 in the August figures.

They use the statistical device, ignoring the fact that most young people are actually studying, and it is almost half the number of young people unemployed under our government compared with what was left under their government. So, how dare they come in here and feign outrage about the unemployment figures that exist in this state at this time? It is simply the misuse of data to create a political advantage and, in so doing, complete their regular theme of talking down this state.

When I speak to young people, what I hear them say—when they see the cranes around the city, when they see the magnificent iconic buildings going up on North Terrace, they say, 'This is a fantastic place to be; I wouldn't want to leave.' That is what they say to me. When they see the SAHMRI building, they say, 'It looks awesome,' to use the vernacular. When a young woman was speaking to her mother the other day about what she was going to do when she left university, she said to her mother, 'I can't leave now because there's so much happening in Adelaide.'