Question Time

Automotive Industry

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (15:52): My question is to the Premier. Why did the Premier reject the federal plan for the automotive manufacturing sector prior to the election despite today committing the full $12 million state contribution to this federal plan?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (15:52): Because they offered us more money. In fact, this is exactly the reason why you stand up and you fight against something which is inadequate. We held out because the first proposition was pathetically low. This, frankly, is still inadequate, but it does represent a starting point; it means that we can put something in the order of $100 million into this effort. We did ask for something in the order of $400 million over four years, but $100 million is a respectable start and there is no reason why we shouldn't get cracking. That's why we are prepared to do that.

Just consider what the federal government has actually saved through no longer involving themselves in automotive assistance—about $1.3 billion of savings has been made as a consequence of them no longer providing support to the car industry in this country. Now, the notion that only $100 million should be provided—less than that; most of the $100 million actually comes from us: our 60 and their (in the order of) 40. The fact that they are only putting in such a paltry sum, given the amount that they are actually saving, I think—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It's a start. I'm not going to turn my nose up at 40—

Mr Marshall: It's a paltry start!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: You only need to look at those numbers—$1.3 billion and we're—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I'm not going to turn my nose up at $40 million, frankly. I'll grab that and we'll continue to fight it. But this is what you do when you stand up and fight for your state. You have to know when to fight and when to talk—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I wouldn't roll over and have my tummy tickled. But what I was prepared to do was to stand up and ensure that we got a better deal for South Australia. Now, there is much more to be done. I did raise with the Prime Minister at the Council of Australian Governments meeting just last Friday that I believe that the Federal Government had—what is that actually doing? How much longer have I got?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Oh, I see. I did raise with the Prime Minister that what occurred to me was a lack of urgency and a lack of adequacy in the response that was actually being made by the commonwealth. He assured me that there would be a further response to South Australia. That is quite unnerving, sir, I must say. That is quite an unnerving—

The SPEAKER: Both black dots go anticlockwise.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I think this is a very subtle mind game that is being played by the opposition seeking to unnerve the speaker.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: What an extraordinary thing! Anyway, I will try and keep my focus, but the commonwealth government through the Prime Minister has offered more. He believes that there will be a further response on the way. There will need to be, because the scale of the challenge in front of us is significant, but $100 million, or at least the commonwealth's $40 million as we understand it, is a respectable start and we will get on with the work.