Question Time

Employment Figures

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is to the Acting Premier. What is the government's response to South Australia's underemployment ratio reported in today's labour force statistics for the first time?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Child Protection Reform) (14:12): There is actually some quite encouraging news in these figures. The figures indicate that there has been a very positive change in the labour market situation here in South Australia, a reduction of 0.3 of 1 per cent in the figure, and that obviously means that this figure compared to that of the last reporting period is better than the last one.

Let's be very clear about this. I think the opposition are very keen to sort of make a lot about figures when they are not going in the right direction and make light of them when they are. I think what we should be doing is to be as informative as we can for the people of South Australia, which is to say, 'We are engaged in a period of change in the South Australian economy, which is involving some economic—'

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop is called to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Yes, protect me from the member for Kavel as well if you can, Mr Speaker, because he is making things difficult; and the member for Morialta as well, sir.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr GARDNER: It was a very specific question in relation to the underemployment rate. The minister has touched briefly on unemployment, has not yet got to underemployment, and is not answering the substance of the question.

The SPEAKER: Yes, he is circling the substance of the question.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I am, Mr Speaker, because the important thing to note is that the government has always said that we have got a difficult period ahead of us; a difficult period in which we will all have to work very hard together, that is, government and industry, and private employers, and we would hope the opposition, to make sure that we see as much employment opportunity as possible created in South Australia.

That is part of the reason that we are driving forward with major economic reforms. That's part of the reason that the government was so keen—and, I acknowledge, with the support of the Leader of the Opposition; I acknowledge that—to get through the new return-to-work scheme, which if it is not butchered by other amendments which are floating about the place will deliver real business savings year on end so that they can employ more people and have greater opportunities.

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker: the minister is referring to a bill before the parliament.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: No, I'm not, Mr Speaker; I was referring to the return to work bill, but I have been reminded that there's an opportunity right now for the other place to pass a piece of legislation—

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier did refer to 'butchering' the return to work bill, which to my mind refers to a bill currently before another place.

Mr Gardner: In this house, sir.

The SPEAKER: Oh, it's before this house, is it?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: I see; yes.

The SPEAKER: So I call the Deputy Premier to order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm sorry, I misunderstood the objection. I thought that the member for Bragg was talking about the butchering presently going on to the planning legislation, which was—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: But, anyway, can I—

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier will not provoke the opposition—

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Very well; I'm sorry, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: —and of course that means that I upheld the member for Bragg's point of order.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Very well; I understand that. The overall trend at the moment is something that we obviously have to keep our eye on. As somebody once famously said: a swallow does not a summer make. The fact that we have one encouraging set of numbers in this particular reporting period is very good, but the government is not saying just because there has been a modest improvement at this point in time, better than any other state, I believe, that we are resting on our laurels. We think we need to keep working on this, and we are looking to see an overall improvement. There's never been any doubt about this, Mr Speaker, we have got a fair degree of hard work ahead of us.

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss is called to order.