Unemployment Figures

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): Given the Premier has outlined to the house the accelerated program of policy settings that he is going to have in place, can he perhaps outline to the house when he believes the South Australian unemployment rate will get back to the national average?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:41): If I was able to forecast those sorts of matters with some degree of certainty I would certainly have quite a lot of value in another profession. Can I say that, of course—

Members interjecting:

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

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —our objectives are to grow the South Australian economy as fast as we can so that we can not only reduce the level of unemployment but also cope with what we do understand will be the very substantial challenge of consuming the loss of our automotive industry. That's not a decision we took, it was a decision that your federal colleagues took and we are doing the best we can to grapple with the circumstances that we've been given. I know those opposite are there forecasting a 10 per cent unemployment rate, a double digit unemployment rate; indeed they have repeated that prediction time and time again.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I've looked very carefully through your suggestions about stimulus and I actually have a little bit of trouble understanding how you can spend $500 million without worsening the budget, without sacking a bunch of public servants. So, I don't know how that's going to stimulate the South Australian economy.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader and the member for Chaffey are warned and the Treasurer is warned for the second and the last time.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I'm also curious about the largest single measure in that so-called plan, $270 million, which is actually a return of the Liberal concession that was created on ESL which they plan to give back to their constituency, about how that's going to do anything to create a job. I'm curious about that as well. Leaving those two pools aside, we will be taking steps to accelerate our economic plan for South Australia. We have a Mid-Year Budget Review which we will be handing down—

Mr Marshall: 23^rd of December again, or 24^th?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: No, I don't think it will be 23 December this year. We believe that there is an urgent need to take steps to accelerate our economic plan and we will be doing that.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned for the second and final time and the Treasurer is on thin ice.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: I don't think we need the desperate histrionics of the opposition leader. I know he's under a lot of pressure these days.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That's right. There's been some curious censorship of certain transcripts about certain radio interviews; apparently that's been going around a bit.

Can I say, Mr Speaker, that we take very seriously the challenges that many workers and their families are facing, especially given the awful news yesterday about the closure of Leigh Creek and, of course, the revelations about Arrium. It receives our constant attention. We would like those opposite to assist us in the speedy passage of legislation that will assist us in creating job opportunities. There's a practical way in which we can work together, and I hope that we will be able to complete that work before the end of the year and offer the business environment which will be necessary to create jobs in our economy.

Mr Whetstone interjecting:

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