Business Confidence

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:17): My question is to the Premier. Do you think your $500 million hike in fees and charges has improved or damaged business confidence in South Australia?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir: standing order 97.

The SPEAKER: For someone—

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: The Leader of the Opposition is asking you about matters instead of the Premier.

The SPEAKER: Yes, we are starting to delve into trivial matters here. I would ask the leader to address his remarks through the Chair and to the Premier.

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: They may not.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: I am happy to ask the question in a different format, Mr Speaker.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader has the call.

Mr MALINAUSKAS: My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier believe that his $500 million hike in fees and charges has improved or damaged business confidence in South Australia?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir: standing order 97. The member's question contains argument—facts introduced without leave, allegedly.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I will take a point of order on the point of order, member for Lee.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: That is a frivolous point of order. It is long established in the government's own budget papers what the Leader of the Opposition refers to.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER: Point of order, sir: descriptive language in the question is entirely disorderly.

The SPEAKER: Yes, the point of order has some merit, but I am going to allow the question. I have always allowed some political, albeit slight, characterisation, but if it goes beyond a point, then obviously I will pull questions up. I am going to allow the question, and the Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:19): Well, business costs are very important to businesses, business confidence and job creation in South Australia, and that is exactly and precisely why on coming to government we did everything we could to lower costs on households, families and businesses in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: By way of demonstration, we halved the emergency services levy in South Australia. We've already put $180 million back into the economy to create jobs and economic growth in South Australia. On 1 January this year, we took the axe to payroll tax. No business in South Australia with a payroll of up to $1.5 million pays a cent in payroll tax anymore. That's what this government is doing. At the moment—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we have legislation before this parliament to drive down the cost of land tax—the annual cost of land tax—but we're being thwarted at this stage, opposed at this stage, by those opposite, who somehow want to—

Mr Malinauskas: You're trying to increase the tax. It's a tax increase!

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —defend the fact that we have a 3.7 per cent annual top land tax rate in South Australia. It's disgraceful! Not content with holding back the South Australian economy for 16 years, now they want to do it in opposition. They oppose council rate capping in South Australia because they couldn't care less. They couldn't care less. They're addicted to taxes, absolutely addicted to taxes. By contrast—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader will cease shouting across the chamber.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we want to be focused on reducing that burden because we know by reducing that burden we will drive further investment into South Australia, and that's what we want. We know that, as we improve business conditions in South Australia, we create more jobs and we keep more young people in South Australia. I've got to say that we on this side of the house have been delighted with the most recent statistics, which show a very significant fall in the net interstate migration out of South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Those opposite laugh—laugh! Yet, when they were in government, the net interstate migration was 4,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, heading towards 8,000 people per year. It's halved. The most recent statistics show unequivocally that there was a net interstate migration of 4,000 people—the best for years and years and years—because people are feeling more confident about the future under this government. They are feeling more confident about their future here in South Australia.

The reality is that young people are feeling more confident about their future in South Australia. They are staying in this state, and we are doing everything that we can to create the opportunities for the next generation. We're focused on jobs and training that are going to be rewarding for the people in South Australia.

Again, I reiterate for those opposite who perhaps weren't listening to my earlier two answers: the reality is that Australia is in volatile times in terms of business confidence and business conditions. It's not about pointing the finger; this is a global reality which seems to be completely missing from any of the analysis done by those opposite. So we're not going to be moved off our course. We're going to be focused on lowering taxes in South Australia, focused on delivering a record infrastructure investment in this state, investing in skills to give the people of this state a much brighter future.

The SPEAKER: The member for West Torrens has been most exuberant today and he is now warned for a second time. The member for Colton. I will come back to the leader.