Telstra Job Losses

Mr KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:28): My question is for the Minister for Industry and Skills. Has the minister instructed his agency to contact Telstra and offer assistance to affected South Australian workers?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:28): As I made very clear in my answer, this is an issue which I have been taking the lead on. This is an issue where the Treasurer and I have already had a meeting.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I do know that Telstra has spoken to some of our other ministers in the government, but we will be having a coordinated approach to managing this. I have already outlined to the house exactly what we are doing. We have sought information within hours of the announcement being made, not only with regard to the workforce here in South Australia but also on some of the capital projects that Telstra had committed to in South Australia, especially around dealing with issues like mobile phone towers in regional South Australia. As you would be aware, sir—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It seems amazing, sir—

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that those opposite aren't interested in people living in regional South Australia. We've got a big state—

Mr Koutsantonis: People are losing their jobs and you are waffling. You are waffling!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: No, I'm sorry—

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens is now on two warnings. I ask the member for West Torrens to cease interjecting.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier will be heard in silence, members on my right.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I think we have now just seen a very clear indication of just how narrow the focus of this opposition is in South Australia.

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: At every opportunity they want to go—

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —for the cheap, political—

The Hon. T.J. Whetstone interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Minister for Primary Industries is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The reality is that we are very concerned about the job losses that Telstra announced, and that's why we spoke to them straightaway. We are awaiting information on how this will be rolled out in South Australia. I took the opportunity to also speak to them about their commitment to increased mobile phone towers across South Australia because this could have been an issue that they considered within their restructuring.

I am very happy to report to the house—I certainly know that people on this side of the house will be concerned, and I'm sure there are some people (maybe not on the front bench but I'm sure there are some) on the other side of the parliament who are interested to know—that Telstra will meet all its obligations that it previously agreed to regarding telephone towers in regional South Australia. Mobile phone blackspots across regional South Australia are holding our state back. It's a safety issue, it's a productivity issue, it's a jobs issue here in South Australia.

When those opposite were in government for 16 years, what did they do to support the rollout of mobile phone towers and coverage across regional South Australia? This would be the subject of another answer which I might provide to the house tomorrow.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order.

The SPEAKER: Point of order. The Premier will be seated.

Mr KOUTSANTONIS: This is not relevant to the question that was asked.

The SPEAKER: The question was about whether the minister has instructed members of his department in regard to the Telstra dilemma, and the question is about debate. Yes, I do ask the Premier to please return to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Well, the substance of the question is the conversation that the government today had with Telstra executives, and those opposite are quite rightly concerned about potential job losses, as we are on this side of the house. That's why—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we have had conversations and meetings between the Treasurer and myself to understand what the full implications are for South Australia. When we have more to report on this issue, those opposite can be assured that we will come back to this parliament and provide an update.

But there are other things other than job losses which we were very concerned about. Those opposite don't seem too concerned about it; maybe it's a lower level issue for them, but I know that this is of real concern for people in this house and people right across regional South Australia. Telstra had committed to a series of upgrades across regional South Australia, and I think it's the right thing to do: to ask questions about whether those projects previously committed to were in any danger of being cut. I am very happy to report to this house that they won't be cut, and in fact there are opportunities for us now to further negotiate with Telstra to make sure that we have the requisite coverage right across regional South Australia.