State Productivity Commission

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (14:13): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on what action the government is taking to establish a state-based productivity commission and how advice from the commission will help drive economic growth in South Australia?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:13): I am delighted to answer this question. We on this side of the house want to grow our economy in South Australia. We want to grow jobs. We want to provide a future for the next generation in South Australia, but we know to do this we've got to grow our economy. To do this, to grow our economy, we've got to become a more productive state. If we look at the economic growth under those opposite in recent years, South Australia has had very, very slow economic growth. In fact, there was around 1.1 per cent economic growth in South Australia over the last five years.

If we compare that to the national growth rate of 2.5 per cent, we see why, at virtually every single opportunity when the national accounts are presented, South Australia is getting further and further behind those fast-growth states. We don't accept that on this side of the house. We say that we should be growing our economy. We have already announced a number of measures that we have either put in place or are putting in place to make sure that we become a more successful, competitive state.

I refer to things like the $360 million cash injection we are going to be putting back into the economy by returning the emergency services levy remission that those opposite took away when they were last in government, the relief that we are going to be providing in terms of payroll tax relief come 1 January next year and the major focus that we've got in terms of supporting our exporters to sell goods and services interstate and overseas, to bring money into our state to grow the size of our economy.

We have talked about the need to spend money on productive infrastructure in this state, and that's why we have already announced that we will establish Infrastructure SA, which will develop a 20-year productive infrastructure plan for South Australia: road, rail, ports, airports, water augmentation, electricity augmentation. Take it out of the government's decision-making and let independent advice come from the statutory authority.

Yesterday I gave notice, and tomorrow I will be introducing a bill to establish the next major reform in South Australia, which will be the establishment of the South Australian productivity commission. The good thing about the South Australian productivity commission is that it will be established as quickly as possible. We hope to push this legislation through so that we can announce those people who will take up those key roles.

I look forward to support from those opposite because this is an important reform. The Liberal Party has been talking about this reform for the last five years in South Australia, and the reality is that other jurisdictions around Australia have already moved on this issue. I note the most recent jurisdiction to move in this area is the New South Wales government, a good government, but they know that to remain competitive into the future they need to always continuously be improving and becoming more productive, and that's exactly what we are going to do.

We are going to establish a commission with a chair of that commission. The productivity commission will have up to four commissioners who will work within that commission. Referrals will come from the government. The commission will then do an issues paper. That will be published. They will advertise. They will take evidence from the sectors right across South Australia—right across the country, if needed—in submissions that will be received by them. They will hold public hearings and, ultimately, they will be publishing a report to the government on how we can become a more productive, more sustainable state. We want to grow our economy, we want to create more jobs, and we welcome the support of those opposite to actually help us in this very, very important task.