Youth Unemployment

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My question is again to the Premier. Why is the South Australian youth unemployment rate the worst in the nation and a full three percentage points worse than the next best state?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:12): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. It's great he has actually been allowed to ask questions now. It's great that the member for West Torrens has allowed him, wheeled him in. I think he's only had four or five questions the entire year.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: He is really down that pecking order at the moment. I was intrigued because earlier in the week they had to trot out Jay Weatherill. They had to get Jay Weatherill out into the media because he wasn't able to do it, but I thank the Leader of the Opposition finally for standing up and asking a question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —importantly about the economy and about employment here in South Australia, which is a particularly important issue. One of the things that we have been doing to stimulate economic activity in this state since we came to government is to lower the costs of doing business in South Australia so that the employers can go out and employ people, in particular the young people in South Australia. We have lowered payroll tax in South Australia. In fact, we have removed payroll tax for all small businesses in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Now no business with a payroll of up to $1.5 million per year pays a cent. It was $600,000 under those opposite. We have taken that threshold from $600,000—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hurtle Vale!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —up to $1.5 million. We have lowered their land tax. We have lowered their emergency services levy. Importantly—and they will never, never admit it—we have lowered their energy prices in South Australia. We have lowered their water prices in South Australia. We have been single-mindedly focused since coming to government to look at all of the issues—all of the issues—that are barriers to small business—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —in this state, going out and employing young people. And I am very pleased, as we enter—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The Fringe will be—some people are getting very excited; some people might even be doing their own Fringe show. But what I would say is that we are very excited about Fringe kicking off tomorrow—31 days and nights of entertainment. This is very important because many young people who are involved in the events sector, involved in the arts sector, lost their jobs during the global pandemic because live performances were extraordinarily difficult. So we are very grateful that, because of the good health performance that we have had in South Australia, we have been able to get on with another season.

Mr Boyer interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, the member for Wright!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Last year, we had the largest Fringe Festival in the world; in fact, it was a largest arts festival in the world last year. This year, it's going to be the largest in the world again. I have just spoken with Heather Croall, who is the chief executive and artistic director—

Ms Stinson interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Badcoe!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —of the Adelaide Fringe Festival and, let me tell you, sir, ticket sales are going gangbusters—about 8,000 per day. Whilst I know that this is very, very important to support the artists who have been doing it particularly tough, it's also very important for every cafe, every restaurant, every pub in South Australia, the people who are doing the tickets, the people who are running—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader will cease interjecting.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the accommodation in South Australia. The flow-on effects from positivity—those opposite don't know what that is—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The leader is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and having a Fringe Festival in South Australia, an Adelaide Festival, having WOMAD, having the WTA event, are all very, very positive for our economy and for creating new jobs, and that is our focus. We're not saying it's easy.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: It requires a huge amount of work—

The Hon. C.L. Wingard interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and we can only do it in partnership. We can only do it in partnership with the people of South Australia who have listened to the experts about how we can keep our state safe from the coronavirus and how we can keep our economy strong. Those two things go hand in hand. South Australia has done well—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am not going to have people talking down the state.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The time for answering the question has expired.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I'm very positive about the performance of the state. I was very positive about it last year and am very, very positive and confident about this coming year, 2021.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The time for answering the question has expired. I remind members that where the time is not indicated on the clock I am monitoring that separately, and I will call the time as may be necessary. Before I call the member for Reynell, I warn for a first time the member for Hurtle Vale. I warn the member for Wright. The member for Badcoe will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A, as will the member for Lee.

The honourable members for Badcoe and Lee having withdrawn from the chamber:

The CHAIR: And I call to order the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, members on my right and members on my left!