Skilling South Australia

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (14:40): My question is to the Minister for Industry and Skills. Can the minister update the house on the response from industry and the training sector to the state government's Skilling South Australia initiative?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Industry and Skills) (14:40): I thank the member for his answer—for his question, rather, because he knows the answer because he has been told by industry time and time again. He knows what industry is saying. What industry is saying is, 'Finally, a government that gets it.' Finally, a government understands that industry needs the tools to grow here in South Australia, and what those tools are is a trained workforce, a workforce that has the skills that South Australia needs.

Remember what those opposite left over a five-year period: a drop-off in apprenticeships and trainees in South Australia of 66 per cent and a TAFE sector in disarray. We are fixing that. We are fixing the non-government provider sector here in South Australia and we are fixing TAFE here in South Australia because we need both to be at their fullest in order to deliver the skills that we need here in South Australia.

One of the first things I did as the minister was go out to regional South Australia because we know that fewer and fewer opportunities have been there for young people in South Australia's regions. We spoke to employers and we spoke to industry about what we can do as a government to encourage more apprentices and more trainees in the regions. One of the key issues is the significant cost to training in regional South Australia.

I was surprised to learn that for decades the overnight per diem that employers were compensated for when they needed to send an apprentice to Adelaide, because there wasn't a local off-the-job training provider, was $24 for overnight accommodation. I don't think you could get a place in a backpackers for that, so we have lifted that to $60.

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens, you can leave, sir, for half an hour under 137A for interjecting. You have been on two warnings for an extended period of time. You will leave for half an hour, please, under 137A. Minister, one moment.

The honourable member for West Torrens having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. J.R. Rau interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Enfield is indicating that he would like to join him—surely not. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Of course, we are not stopping there. That is a stopgap measure to ensure that employers have the ability to get their apprentices trained, but we are working with industry in regional South Australia so that we can have more of the off-the-job training done in regional South Australia and so that those living in the regions can work in the regions and learn in the regions.

It is important that we support our regions, and there are so many ways that we can do that. Providing the skills that our regional employers need, whether it be in tourism, whether it be in engineering—those key areas that are delivering jobs in regional South Australia—it is important that those businesses have the skills. We are spending $203 million over four years; that is around about $1 million per week of extra money into the South Australian budget to help employers remove barriers that are there for training and employees who may come across some barriers for training.

Let's not forget what a great deal an apprenticeship is: you are paid while you learn and no HECS debt. By the time you have finished your apprenticeship, you are earning salaries of $60,000, $80,000 to $100,000 a year. It is a terrific start to a career.

The Hon. S.K. Knoll interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Is the Minister for Transport okay?

The Hon. S.K. Knoll: I will be, sir.