EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): My question is to the Premier. Why have 27,000 South Australian full-time jobs been lost in the past three months?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:23): I do not accept the opposition leader's analysis of the data, but can I say—

Mr Marshall: The Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, well, we have seen your use of statistics, but what I can say is this: there is no doubt that this is an economy in transition, that has been incredibly resilient in the face of global financial forces. Can I say that one of the impulses that has been put into the South Australian economy that has actually sustained employment—and we would be looking at catastrophic falls in employment levels in this state—is the public investment in this state, public investment described by those opposite as a false economy. They are prepared to bang on about debt and deficit, but they are not prepared to reveal their secret plans for getting it down and cutting further into jobs and employment.

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order: debate.

The SPEAKER: The Premier is not responsible to the house for the opposition's policy. Premier, is there anything further?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No.