Employment Figures

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:24): Can the Premier think of no reason why employment growth has slowed under his government?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:24): It's not a matter of thinking. I have actually outlined—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford, goodbye for 38 minutes under 137A.

The honourable member for Playford having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I have actually presented comprehensively, since question time began today, the facts. These are not just thought bubbles like the opposition had when they were back in government: these are facts. Can those opposite deny—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that there is a slowing in the national economy? Can those opposite deny that there is actually a slowing of the global economy? Can those opposite—

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Point of order: whenever the Premier mentions the opposition, it is debate.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. Could I ask the lady in the gallery to please take a seat, thank you. I was distracted. I am listening to the Premier. Premier, please come back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am just making the point that there are significant headwinds, and it's very difficult for those opposite to argue in any form that there are not significant headwinds which are facing South Australian employment and the South Australian economy. Governments are elected to optimise the position of the state relative to whatever conditions we as a state might find ourselves in. We are not immune. We do not operate in a bubble.

If we look at the start of this year, South Australia has been hit by further very significant impacts—impacts of the fires here in South Australia, impacts of the coronavirus. We still don't know the full effects of the coronavirus here on the South Australian economy or more broadly on the national economy. We know that the federal government is now considering economic stimulus in Australia due to the coronavirus. We saw yesterday the Reserve Bank governor and the Reserve Bank board reaching a decision to further lower official interest rates. This is in response to not what is occurring here in South Australia but what is occurring in the country and what is going to be happening around the world as we deal with these difficult and tricky issues.

But my assurance to the people of South Australia is that we will always put them first and foremost in our thoughts. This next budget, which is coming up, is going to be a tough budget. Those opposite would like to criticise us for further debt in South Australia.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: On a point of order, the Premier just said: pointing out the levels of debt by the opposition. That is debate, sir, clearly.

The SPEAKER: I have the point of order. I believe the question was about 'no reason why' the economy may have slowed. I have given the Premier some opportunity to warm up. I will listen carefully, but I will ask him to respectfully come back to the substance of the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: What I hope I have conveyed to the parliament today are comprehensive reasons why there has been a slowing economy here in South Australia, and more broadly across Australia, and some of the issues which are going to confront us in the future. We can't bury our head in the sand. We can't think that we are going to be immune from what is actually occurring, what has occurred and what is going to continue to occur, but what we can do is make sure that we are putting the strategies and the tactics in place as quickly as possible.

This next budget is going to be a very important budget for our state, making sure that we can optimise the situation that our state performs relative to the conditions that we are currently operating in. Thank you for the opportunity to again outline to the house some of the issues confronting our economy. We look forward to providing the house with further details regarding our response in the coming weeks and months.

The SPEAKER: That was the sixth question, so we are moving to the member for MacKillop and then the member for Lee.