Population Growth

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (16:41): My question is to the Premier. Since the Premier believes our current population growth figures are completely unacceptable, what population growth figures are acceptable?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (16:41): It's interesting that the leader should ask me what he thinks is acceptable. What I would like to know from the government is what did they actually have? For a long period of time—

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —they said our population target in South Australia was two million people.

Mr Bignell interjecting:

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

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Let me tell you, in the lead-up to the election they all went in different directions. Everyone went in a different direction depending on what they thought their electorate wanted to hear. The reality is that where we have been in South Australia is completely and utterly unacceptable.

Mr Malinauskas: What is acceptable? What is acceptable then?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I will tell you what is acceptable, and that is addressing this exodus of young people out of South Australia. When we look at the net interstate migration figures presided over and accepted by the former government here in South Australia, they should hang their heads in shame. Most years, we had a four, five, six, 7,000 net interstate migration out of South Australia. The year before last, regional population in South Australia actually went backwards.

I was looking at some statistics the other day. Do you know that the regional population in Queensland grew last year by more than 30,000 people? This is regional Queensland. Regional New South Wales grew by 20,000 people. Regional Victoria grew by around 20,000 people. The entire state of South Australia grew by around 10,000 people, a third of what country Queensland grew by. The reality is that we do need stronger population growth in South Australia. This is an area that we will deal with.

We don't want to see our young people giving up hope in South Australia. Therefore, we have put very positive policies in place around job creation; moreover, we would like to see more international students in South Australia. Mr Speaker, you would be aware that South Australia has 7.1 per cent of the nation's population. It's going down, of course. We have just lost a federal seat, but did we hear any of those opposite lamenting the fact that our influence federally has been diminished because we haven't been able to keep pace? They actually lost one of their own seats. Maybe they needed to concentrate on it a little bit more.

We have 7.1 per cent of the nation's population. What proportion of the nation's international students does South Australia have? We heard those opposite for many years talk about this being the very best place for a university city in the country. Have we got 20 per cent of the nation's international students? Have we got 10 per cent? Have we got 7.1 per cent? Have we got our pro rata entitlement? Let me tell you what those opposite presided over: a massive freefall of our proportion of international students studying in South Australia.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order, sir, on relevance. The leader's question was clear: what is the Premier's target for population growth?

The SPEAKER: I will listen carefully, member for West Torrens. Former Speakers may have called the answer germane to the question, but I will listen carefully. Premier, please direct your answer to the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Mr Speaker, what I am outlining to this house is that the lacklustre performance of the previous government will not be tolerated by this government. We don't want to see this mass exodus of young people out of South Australia. We do want to see more international students in South Australia. What I was outlining to the house was that, despite the fact that we have 7.1 per cent of the nation's population, we have just 4.7 per cent of the nation's international students. They took their eye off the ball, and that's why we on this side of the house will be putting more money into StudyAdelaide and a greater focus on encouraging more international students here into South Australia.

The SPEAKER: A supplementary.