House of Assembly Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1) 53 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Business Transformation Voucher Program Business Transformation Voucher Program Ms DIGANCE House of Assembly Elder Business Transformation Voucher Program Ms DIGANCE (Elder) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Minister, can you update the house about the Business Transformation Voucher Program? Mr Knoll interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Did the member for Schubert get that? Minister. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly Port Adelaide Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation Minister for Automotive Transformation Minister for the Public Sector The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for the Public Sector) (14:50): Thank you for your assistance, Mr Speaker. An honourable member interjecting: The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: It is an important topic. The South Australian government is committed to supporting South Australian manufacturers as they enhance their competitiveness, productivity and profitability. The $4.5 million Business Transformation Voucher Program has been developed to help high-value South Australian manufacturing businesses identify opportunities to accelerate their growth through innovation. The Business Transformation Voucher Program is one of the first initiatives to be rolled out as part of Our Jobs Plan which is the state government's $60 million response to the looming closure of the automotive vehicle manufacturing industry in 2017. The Business Transformation Voucher Program provides up to $50,000 for manufacturers to gain expert advice and implement— The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Member for Schubert. Mr KNOLL House of Assembly Mr KNOLL: Sir, everything in the minister's answer is clearly outlined on the statedevelopment.sa.gov.au website. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Can the minister say whether that is true or not? The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: The existence of the vouchers naturally is publicly known. I would be very surprised if it is word by word on the website. I would like the member to say if he believes that to be the case. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: If the member for Schubert can anticipate any of the minister's answer, I will have to rule it out of order but the minister has the call. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Otherwise I may continue? Thank you, because this is an incredibly important program— Mr Pisoni interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is called to order. Ms Chapman interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned a first time, again. Minister. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: If we were unable to talk about anything that exists outside of this chamber we would all be terribly bored. All we can know is what exists outside, and what matters to the businesses in South Australia is the kind of support that they are getting from this government in challenging times and, may I add, in spite of the kind of support that is completely absent from the federal government. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The minister will be seated. The minister has hardly resumed and the member for Unley is on his feet taking a point of order. What could it be? Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: The minister has moved away from the substance of the question and is now debating standing orders. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I don't uphold the point of order. This better be a point of order. Ms DIGANCE House of Assembly Ms DIGANCE: No, it is not; I just wanted to re-read the question. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: If the member for Elder continues, I will suspend her. Minister. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I am not sure the minister has finished. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: I was asked to sit down and I did so but I have not yet finished. Thank you, sir. Two of the companies that the member who asked the question may be interested in, who have recently won these vouchers—and I will point out to those who are not currently looking at the internet that it is a one-for-one offering of up to $50,000. One of them is a company called Tucker's Natural which has won a number of food awards over the past seven years. Mr KNOLL House of Assembly Mr KNOLL: Point of order: the information the minister is referring to is in a press release that was put out on 12 November detailing the four companies that received these vouchers. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Well, I'm online so they can flick it through to me. Minister. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: I actually regard this topic as too important to allow this kind of trivial interruption to go on. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Point of order. The minister will be seated. Member for Unley. Mr PISONI House of Assembly Mr PISONI: Point of order: the minister has moved away from the substance of the question and is again debating standing orders. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order, and the member for Unley is very close to departure. Minister. The Hon. S.E. CLOSE House of Assembly The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: As I was trying to indicate before people started shouting, I am not prepared to discuss this matter in a way which trivialises it through constant interruptions.