Employment Figures

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:21): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. Can the minister update the house on how the state government is building South Australia's workforce?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (14:21): I certainly can—and a great segue from the Premier about building jobs here in South Australia. I am pleased to report the ABS figures released just last week: 14½ thousand new jobs over the last 12 months and 60 per cent of them are full-time, full-time jobs delivered over the last 12 months. There are now a record 857,600 South Australians working in South Australia—an all-time record. Never before have there been so many South Australians in jobs than we have at the moment, with 8½ thousand working full-time over the last 12 months. That's 552,600 full-time jobs here in South Australia.

There is another very interesting and encouraging statistic from the ABS job figures. If you look at the numbers more broadly throughout the ABS figures, you see 2.7 million additional hours worked in June by South Australian workers in 2019 compared with June 2018. Put on top of that the average hourly rate, it is $95 million extra paid in wages in South Australia under this government in June 2019 compared with June last year. That's $95 million extra being spent in the economy because—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —more South Australians are working longer hours, more South Australians are doing jobs—

Dr Close interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is warned.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —and more South Australians are earning money. The labour force participation rate is up 0.7 per cent over the last 12 months—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order members on my left!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —the highest rate in eight years. It is encouraging to see the trend participation rate increasing to the highest level in those eight years. The portion of employed people who were underemployed was 0.9 per cent lower, the equal lowest level in five years, as existing workers are working more hours and more workers are working full-time.

The ABS data relating to job vacancies shows that there was a whopping 46.3 per cent increase in the number of jobs advertised than there were five years ago and a 9 per cent increase this year so far. Of course, on business confidence, according to the census South Australia has recorded the highest level of small and medium business confidence over the decade in the March quarter and recorded the highest level of confidence in the nation.

We remain committed to doing more to make the South Australian economy grow. That is why we are delivering the Skilling South Australia program, making sure that South Australians have the skills that industry needs to grow: 20,800 new trainees and apprenticeships over a four-year period. Furthermore, the recent NCVER figures show that the government-funded vocational education and training activity for non-government providers has risen by 5.4 per cent compared with a decline nationally.

This is a stand-out figure and testament to the partnership between the Morrison government and the Marshall government in the Skilling South Australia program. Employers are investing in their staff, investing in their workforce and investing in skills in South Australia to deliver more jobs for South Australians. The positive impact of the government's relationship with industry and Skilling South Australia is paying off.

The SPEAKER: I remind the member for Mawson that he is on two warnings.