Designated Area Migration Agreements

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:44): My question is to the Premier. Which regional areas of South Australia does the regional Designated Area Migration Agreement cover?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:44): My recollection is that it is the entire regional South Australia and it is based more upon occupation than anything else. We have a second DAMA, which is more linked to the City Deal in South Australia. Further to my previous answer, I am advised that the DAMA itself has been finalised with the federal government, and that the—

The SPEAKER: Order! I would like to hear this answer, please.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The DAMA has been signed. The internal operational guidelines, which will come into effect on 1 July this year, are yet to be finalised. It is an excellent agreement for the people of our state. Most importantly, it addresses the issues that have been raised with us and, quite frankly, with those opposite for an extended period of time across regional South Australia. By contrast, of course, we note that the federal Labor Party has said that they have a policy to very significantly increase the TSMIT (temporary skilled migration income threshold) here in Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't know whether it is possible—

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —for you to speak to some of your country members.

The SPEAKER: I do all the time.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I talk to them all the time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I don't know whether the opposition, sir, might speak to some of their country members and get some advice on the effects of increasing the TSMIT from the low $50,000 up to mid $60,000 per year. This will—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —unequivocally lead to further skill shortages right across regional South Australia. Let's be quite clear, all employees in Australia are covered by the protections of the award system and various enterprise bargaining agreements. So we are not talking about taking away the other protections that exist, but the action that the federal Labor Party is now suggesting will have significant detrimental effects on very many regional companies in this state, and this is one of the reasons why we have sought to have our own DAMA for regional South Australia—750 people per year so that we can grow the size of our regional economy in this state.