Hospitality Industry

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is to the Premier. How much more pain does the hospitality industry need to endure in South Australia before the government provides additional support, specifically to the hospitality industry?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:13): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for this question. As he would be more than aware, we have already provided significant support to the hospitality sector that he is relating to, especially those businesses that are in the CBD, which are of course bearing the great brunt of this effect. That is why it was a great surprise when I was asked a question only in the last sitting week by the opposition about why we were favouring businesses in the seat of Adelaide.

Actually, I was taken aback. I would have thought it would have been very obvious to people, particularly to the opposition, who are all members of parliament and all represent an electorate. There are people right across our state who work in the CBD and who have been very significantly adversely affected by what is happening.

Mr Malinauskas: Amongst others.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The Leader of the Opposition shouts across the chamber 'amongst others', and he is quite right, but nevertheless the CBD has borne the brunt like no other area because, of course, we have had very specific, strong advice to people to work from home if possible. That has not been the subject of a direction from the State Coordinator, but strong advice to people that if they can work from home they should work at home, because—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier has not responded to interjections, as is appropriate. The Premier has the call. Has the Premier finished his answer?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I have not, sir. The question from the Leader of the Opposition is: what are we doing to assist the hospitality sector. What I am trying to—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Members on my left will cease interjecting.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I will tell you what we have done to support the hospitality sector in South Australia. We stopped those business-destroying policies—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —that the previous government had, those business-destroying policies that those opposite presided over for 16 years—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —sky-high electricity prices, the rort with regard to water prices that affected every single business in South Australia.

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I will tell you what we have done: we have put the people of South Australia first. We fixed the rort that was inflicted by those opposite.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We want to engage the business community to grow employment.

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kaurna!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: And let's take a look at what has happened, sir. In October, when we looked at those ABS statistics—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is warned for a second time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —what we saw were more people employed in South Australia in October than in January and February, before the COVID crisis. That is the effect: that even during this global pandemic—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we have been able to grow our employment in South Australia by putting business first, and we will continue to put business first. Our budget that came down, $4 billion worth of stimulus—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned for a second time.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —a massive cut in taxes to those businesses in South Australia. To all small businesses with a payroll of up to $4 million, a 15-month hiatus in their need to pay payroll tax in South Australia. Licensing fees, support for people who are paying ESL in South Australia, whether it be business or whether it actually be a household in South Australia—

Mr Picton interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kaurna is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and, of course, very importantly, grants to assist businesses to adapt to the new COVID environment within the CBD so that they can do that augmentation to their licensed areas so they can have more people coming in. But all we hear from those opposite are complaints and protests—

Mr Brown interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is on two warnings.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —not focusing on solutions that are going to help businesses to rebound after this global pandemic, a pandemic that has affected every business, every family and every individual in this state. I am very proud of the work that this government is doing to keep South Australians safe and our economy strong.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the leader, I call to order the member for Cheltenham. I call to order the member for Hurtle Vale. I call to order the member for Wright. I warn the member for Badcoe. I call to order the member for Ramsay, and I remind the member for Lee and the member for Playford that they are both on two warnings.