Job Creation

Mr TRELOAR (Flinders) (16:16): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on how the government is delivering on its commitment to create jobs?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (16:16): I thank the member for Flinders for his question. Jobs were, if you like, the most important issue we campaigned on in the lead-up to the election. Interestingly, it was also the number one issue that those opposite said they were campaigning on, so on this one we should be as one. I think most people in South Australia do not believe that we are achieving our full ambitions as a state at the moment. We do not have enough jobs in this state to fulfil the ambition of our young people who are finishing school or university, getting good quality qualifications, but who are not being able to find work here—or, if they do find work, there are not enough hours to sustain them. What we have seen is an exodus of young people out of this state, and this has to stop.

We outlined a range of very positive policies that we took to the election, positive policies that we will implement and that we will implement in full. One of the critical areas we said we would address is the very high level of taxation in South Australia, and I am very proud to lead a government that will be addressing the high level of payroll tax in South Australia. As of 1 January next year, this government will be eliminating all payroll tax on small businesses in this state that have a payroll of up to $1.5 million. We will be doing that because we know that payroll tax is a tax on jobs, and we want to create more jobs in South Australia. This is one of the very positive things we will be doing, and it will be brought down in our first budget, which will hit this parliament in September this year.

One of the other things we will be doing to create more jobs is to grow the overall size of our economy. As you would know, Mr Speaker, to grow the size of our economy we have to be better in this state at selling more goods and services interstate and overseas and bringing someone else's money into South Australia to grow the overall size of our economy, to grow jobs, and keep our young people here in South Australia. Part of our policy in this area to create more jobs through greater export focus is to create a new department, the department of trade, tourism and investment, which will be led by a single, dedicated cabinet minister.

This was one of the problems with the former government: when you looked at their efforts in terms of trying to increase the sale of goods and services interstate and overseas, it was a part-time job of a busy minister with multiple portfolios across multiple government departments and agencies. We are going to change that. We are going to have real focus because we know that, if we can grow the size of our exports in South Australia, we will grow our economy and we will grow jobs in South Australia.

Not only are we going to have a dedicated department and a dedicated, focused cabinet minister here in South Australia, but we are also going to open our overseas trade offices—or, I should say, reopen our overseas trade offices. Those opposite were quite happy to close our overseas trade offices and see South Australia's export performance languish.

When they came to power, South Australia represented about 7½ per cent of our nation's exports—a good performance given the size of our population relative to the population of the entire country. What was it when they left office? Less than 4 per cent. This is completely and utterly unacceptable. We won't stand for it. We have a higher ambition. We want to see South Australia do better. As I said, jobs is a major priority; it was in the lead-up to the election. Two critical things that we will be doing are to lower payroll tax on small business and have a greater focus on exports out of this state.