Vocational Education and Training

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. Given that South Australia has the highest unemployment rate on mainland Australia, how is cutting the training positions in South Australia going to affect the unemployment rate going forward?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:26): We seek to manage our budget in a sustainable way so that we have the capacity to apply our public investments to the things that generate growth and opportunity in the South Australian economy. That is the way in which we seek to manage the public finances so that—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Chaffey is warned and the Treasurer is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —there is sufficient room to invest in the job-creating activities that exist in the South Australian economy. Building a stronger South Australia through investment in infrastructure and through an investment in the sorts of things that generate growth and activity in the South Australian economy is the thing that will drive growth, and it will also be efficiencies about the way in which we deliver our government services which will also drive growth. So, if we have a better and more effective training and further education system, that will ensure that when there are shortages and vacancies, we are quickly able to train people to respond to the demands of a growing economy.

The great challenge for us is that there are parts of the South Australian economy that are growing very quickly where skills shortages are emerging. It is crucial that we have a training and education system—

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned for the second and final time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —that is nimble and responsive that can actually fill the gaps in those skills so that those parts of the economy that are poised for growth can grow more quickly than those parts of the economy that are actually in decline. It's also crucial that those workers who are in declining industries have access to the skills and opportunities that allow them to move into the growing sectors of the economy. In that way, a TAFE system and a training and education system that—

Mr Tarzia interjecting:

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

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: The reason why this will generate growth and activity is it will reduce the friction between people actually seeking work and them actually getting work, and also employers being able to access the labour that they need to actually fuel their growing industry. It is crucial that we have a reformed TAFE system and this is precisely the reform that is being called for at a national level.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: South Australia is leading the way with some very tough decisions—

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

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —about us trimming down our TAFE sector to make sure it is nimble and responsive and able to provide the training where it's needed at an efficient price so that it can actually drive growth in our economy. Of course, Mr Speaker, this debate is being conducted in a fashion—

Mr Pederick: You have gutted TAFE.

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

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I think that those opposite need to make up their mind about whether we have gutted TAFE or whether we are preferring—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Treasurer is warned.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Mr Speaker, can I say that the purpose of these reforms is to get a stronger TAFE system—a stronger system of training and further education in South Australia in constrained circumstances. Much of this debate has been conducted without the recognition—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —that there is a fee-for-service system which also sits on top of this. Training providers can charge for their training services, and people can pay for training and employers can support their workers to actually achieve that training if it is necessary.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, there will be a thriving training sector based on fee for service, which sits on top of the subsidised service that is provided by government.