COVID-19 Economic Recovery

Mrs POWER (Elder) (15:03): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier please update the house on South Australia's COVID recovery and in particular how events like A Day at the Drive are promoting our amazing state to the rest of the world?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:03): I thank the member for Elder for her excellent question. Welcome back, sir—2021. I don't know about you, but I feel extraordinarily optimistic about South Australia's opportunities during 2021. In many ways, that sits in contrast to the rest of the world, who are still dealing with the devastating effects of the coronavirus global pandemic. We see the devastation that this is causing in Europe, in the UK, in the US and in many other parts of the world but, because we have done well in Australia, and more specifically in South Australia, we are starting to enjoy the recovery. We can't become complacent.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: There is still a huge amount of work to do—but, because of the great cooperation of the people of South Australia working with the government, working with SA Health, working with South Australia Police, we find ourselves in an enviable position. Over the break, there have been excellent statistics which I think highlight how well we are placed at the moment and why I feel optimistic about the future.

I loved reading the State of the States report. We have been for much of the last 10 years in the doldrums, towards the bottom of that list. I note in the most recent one we've rocketed up to the third position: we've overtaken Queensland, we have overtaken New South Wales and we sit in that third position. There is a huge amount of work to be done, but that is a good indicator of where our state sits at the moment.

The NAB business confidence and business conditions survey is out. The most recent statistics show that we have the highest rate of business conditions in the nation—in fact, the highest since the survey was created and the best business confidence in the nation. That comes because people feel confident about the way we have dealt with the health crisis and at the same time kept our economy strong.

This is what is particularly important about the second part of your question about A Day at the Drive. This was an opportunity for us, where we had some of the top seeds in the world coming in to South Australia, doing their 14 days of supervised quarantine in a new facility in North Adelaide, built since we came to government. They did that quarantine and then they played an exhibition match ahead of the Australian Open.

This had national coverage. It had international coverage. The eyes of the world were looking to a place called Adelaide, where people were out watching live sport—8,000 people enjoyed A Day at the Drive. I certainly enjoyed speaking to some of those incredible superstars of the tennis world and, let me tell you, they were grateful: they were grateful for the hospitality they experienced while they were here. Many of the great players of the world headed out. They went to the Zoo, they went to the beach, they went to our parks, they enjoyed being here in Adelaide, and the good news is that they told the world.

They went onto social media and they started telling people right around the world, maybe people who have never been here before, about our wonderful state and also the wonderful time they had playing at Memorial Drive. We will have some of those players back, hopefully soon, because after the Australian Open we will be having another WTA event at Memorial Drive, and soon thereafter we will be demolishing that northern stand and we will be doing a complete redevelopment of Memorial Drive.

It was fantastic to see the players doing their training in South Australia underneath that canopy, underneath that roof. They would not have been able to do their quarantine, play those games here unless that roof was in place. I think this is a great showcase to the world of what we have been able to achieve in South Australia. Our ambition for the future: there is much to be done, but I am hugely optimistic about the remainder of this year.

The SPEAKER: Before I call the deputy leader, I warn the member for Lee and I warn the member for West Torrens.