Telstra Job Losses

Mr KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens) (14:33): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Can the minister inform the house what career transition services his agency is developing for South Australian Telstra employees who will lose their jobs?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:33): This is an important—

Mr Koutsantonis: Let them eat cake.

The SPEAKER: Did the member for West Torrens say, 'Let them eat cake'?

Mr Koutsantonis: Yes, sir.

The SPEAKER: I ask you to depart under 137A for half an hour.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Sir, it's a pity the member has departed the house because I think it was an important question he asked about transitional arrangements. I have already updated the house. Maybe the member for West Torrens couldn't hear because sometimes he gets a bit excited.

The SPEAKER: Please do not respond to interjections, Premier.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: He's thinking about his next interjection. But I'm not going to reflect on any interjections, sir: I am just going to talk to you about transitional arrangements. As I have stated already to the house, there are full entitlements that will be paid out to any employees who are affected by this arrangement. They are yet to be identified, but we do know that they are going to be in management and senior management positions.

As I pointed out, the company, Telstra, over and above the $600 million worth of entitlements they have already identified and provided for, will provide a further $50 million going into a transitional fund to help people who are leaving Telstra and also to help people who are identified that they are no longer required but could apply for new jobs within Telstra going forward. So we are yet to see the full detail of exactly what will be in that transition fund but I think it is important that we understand the details of that transition fund as soon as possible because 8,000 jobs across Australia is a very large number.

We know that in South Australia we have approximately 3,000 Telstra employees, both full-time and part-time, so there are a large number of people who could be affected. But as I have previously outlined to the house, the vast majority of the people who are employed in South Australia are not in senior management roles or back office roles, they are more front line, and so we are—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —hoping—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that any job losses in South Australia will be kept to an absolute minimum and that the transitional arrangements which Telstra have put into place will be sufficient—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my left!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —but if there is a requirement for the government to get involved, then we certainly will. These job losses that have been highlighted—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —will be rolled out over the next three years. They haven't occurred yet and we look forward to getting further updates from Telstra, and when we do, we will come back to this house.