Job Accelerator Grant Scheme

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright) (14:34): My question is to the Treasurer. I ask the Treasurer to inform the house on the uptake of the job accelerator grants.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy) (14:35): Every one of the government's economic policies is designed to ensure that South Australia becomes a better place to do business, and the job accelerator grant—a $109 million program for business to employ additional staff—is one of those initiatives to ensure that South Australia does become a better place to do business.

A job accelerator grant provides up to $10,000 for each and every job created for eligible businesses with taxable payrolls of $5 million or less, and up to $4,000 for each and every job created by a small business start-up and other employers that are not liable for payroll tax. So, there are two grants: one for $10,000 and one for $4,000.

Today, I can inform the house that more than 1,100 registrations have been logged on our system. From young apprentices at businesses such as Boyd Plumbing and Gas, who have taken on an apprentice and applied for a $4,000 small business and start-up grant, to 17 new drivers at BT Transport & Logistics in Cavan, who provide a range of transport services to defence, mining, civil and other industries in South Australia, we are starting to see this program bear fruit.

In conjunction with the government's $0.5 billion investment into STEM, upgrading our schools' science and technology facilities and our more than $12 billion investment in economic infrastructure, the job accelerator grant is assisting in creating the jobs of today and, of course, the jobs of the future. This is on top of, I think, nation-leading tax reform—the most comprehensive package in our state's history which sees us abolishing business stamp duties, returning $670 million to businesses and families and making South Australia one of the most attractive states in Australia to do business.

These are tax cuts which the Leader of the Opposition stated would not create a single job but then, of course, called on us to bring forward. Our tax reforms come on top of WorkCover changes and reforms which have delivered an extra $180 million worth of annual savings to business. Last year's state budget was about cutting taxes so that businesses are free to invest, grow and transform. This year's budget has jobs as its number one priority, and these grants provide a great incentive to encourage small to medium businesses to employ and unlock more money for them to invest in their businesses.

Small and medium businesses are the backbone of our economy, and we want to reward those businesses that are seeking to grow and help them grow faster. The small business community should be reassured that they have a friend in this government compared to the disingenuous response from the Leader of the Opposition after we announced the job accelerator grant.

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: The leak, courtesy of the member for—

The SPEAKER: Point of order from the member for Morialta.

Mr GARDNER: Standing order 98: debate.

The SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order. Treasurer.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Mr Speaker, fair enough that you uphold a point of order when I was trying to point out that the opposition were criticising job accelerator grants when, in fact, they were considering them privately in the shadow cabinet. We discovered that through a leak, courtesy of members opposite—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, sir.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —thank you.

The SPEAKER: Point of order.

Mr GARDNER: Undermining your authority: standing order 141.

The SPEAKER: While recapitulating the offence, yes, thank you. Is the Treasurer finished? The leader.

Mr Pisoni interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Is the member for Unley interjecting or merely talking to himself? The leader.