Appropriation Bill 2019

Appropriation Grievances

Adjourned debate on motion to note grievances.

(Continued from 2 July 2019.)

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (23:38): I am very grateful for the opportunity to rise and make some brief remarks in relation to the Appropriation Bill 2019. Indeed, it is marvellous at this stage of the debate to have that opportunity, with the Marshall Liberal government's second budget coming a little over a year into this period of government. By way of setting the scene, already there are strong signs that our state is on its way back on track: the unemployment rate is down to 5.7 per cent, we have 22,000 new jobs in the state since March 2018, there were 1.4 billion hours worked over the last 12 months and we have a new record 857,000 South Australians employed in this state. It is early days, but we are heading in the right direction.

I take this opportunity to reassure all those who are following the debate this evening that all of us on this side of the house who have this precious opportunity to be in government in this state are dedicated daily to ensuring that those strong early results continue as we progress through this second budget period.

It is not in circumstances of great calm, success and abundance that we came to government; rather, to the contrary, the government was faced with inheriting what has been described as a massive budget deficit that was left to us by the previous government. A $313 million budget deficit was left to us by Labor. In the early days of the new government, as we all know, the government has been faced with GST revenue reductions that are entirely out of the government's control to the substantial amount of $2.1 billion.

There are challenges that we have faced and, in bringing the budget back into surplus and ensuring that we take the measures necessary to bring about an outcomes-driven, growth-driven, confidence-building environment in South Australia, we have indeed seen a government making choices that are about delivering on the vision that has been spelled out in these early days of the Marshall Liberal government. The 2019-20 budget is very much a budget about building and growing and I commend the government for it.

Key among the measures that characterise this budget is the massive investment ongoing in infrastructure across the state. As someone who represents an area that straddles the peri-urban areas in the Hills through to our regions in the Hills and Fleurieu, I am hugely conscious of the need in this state to restore a focus on the entire state being part of the picture of growth, restoration and support when it comes to those record investments that are being made—$11.9 billion in all. It is across all areas of government responsibility, but chiefly, if I may highlight, and very substantially in those key areas for state governments: education and health.

I really want to stress this and I would invite everyone to look very clearly, long and deep at the extent and breadth of these investments in schools and in our hospital upgrades. It continues and it goes all the way through to safer roads throughout our state, to major measures aimed at congestion-busting in our urban areas and far and wide through regional and remote areas of the state where the investment is so sorely needed.

The investment in health is once again increased. It is up by $1.6 billion. There is $550 million to go towards the new Women's and Children's Hospital. These are key measures. In education, spending is up $611 million. This is driving the best opportunities for our children in our schools. It is about ensuring that our children in South Australia have the very best of opportunities in their school life. There is also $1.3 billion of additional infrastructure upgrades. So with a focus on the entire state, I am very proud to see that this new government, in just its second budget, is ensuring that the investment in our state for the long term, for the future, is solid. We have had some observations already in this debate from those opposite—

Mr BROWN: Mr Acting Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

Mr TEAGUE: We have had contributions from those opposite, and I have done my best to listen respectfully. It is important that these contributions are held to account to some extent if we are to maintain meaningful debate on these matters. The member for Light, for example, has reflected on the solid waste levy. He has made an allegation that the increased revenues that flow from the increase in the solid waste levy will go to prop up the budget. I make the observation that that was their form. That is what they did, in the previous government. That is what they did. It was not just the solid waste levy; the ESL was operated in exactly the same way.

This government, where it is applying a revenue measure, is saying, 'We have a Green Industries Fund. The money that is collected will go to the Green Industries Fund. It will be applied to looking for ways to ensure that we deal with our waste in better ways to reduce waste over the journey and to ensure better environmental outcomes.' So accountability is at the core of measures that have been taken in this budget, and I reject what the member for Light had to say on that topic. It is important that these things are called out.

In his contribution, the member for Lee accused the government of insouciant arrogance. Again, in endeavouring to engage with these characterisations, I would encourage some humility on the other side. After 16 years, those opposite left us with an enormous mess to clean up. It is not something that we dwell on, but it needs to be called to account in the course of prosecuting a budget process. So I call it out, and I encourage everyone to stick to the facts, to stick to the outcomes and to ensure that we remain focused on accountability.

I have spoken about these tremendous additional investments in education. Just last week, on 24 June, the Premier and the Minister for Education joined me at Heathfield High School where there was an opportunity to highlight the tremendous investments that are going on. With the anticipated additional 350 students coming to Heathfield High by 2022, we had an opportunity to see some of the very best developments that are going on in our state's high schools. I am proud to say that Heathfield High is one of five entrepreneurial schools that will be part of the government $6.3 million program in that area. Emily, Alex and Loui, the co-captains at Heathfield High, were our wonderful hosts over two days, and I commend them.

I also make mention, albeit briefly, of the government's $80 million program to roll out fast broadband. Last week, Heathfield Primary became the hundredth school to be connected to the fast internet service. We will have 507 schools connected by mid-2020 on projections; that is all headed in the right direction. Eastern Fleurieu schools also had some fantastic outcomes, practical outcomes-driven results, including new classrooms at the end of term 1. I could go on and on and on, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker. This is a tremendous budget and I commend it to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Cowdrey.

At 23:51 the house adjourned until Thursday 4 July 2019 at 11:00.