Question Time

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:28): My question is to the Minister for Innovation and Skills. How many apprentices stand to lose their jobs as Coles phases out its onsite butchers for the prepackaging of meat?

The Hon. D.G. PISONI (Unley—Minister for Innovation and Skills) (15:29): There has been a complete turnaround in the number of commencements of apprenticeships and traineeships in South Australia, and we are also leading in completions of apprenticeships and traineeships. We are seeing a 51 per cent increase in the first three years of our Skilling South Australia program. This compares with a 48 per cent decrease in the last four years of the previous government.

My advice is to support the government in supporting young people to have opportunities to get the skills they need that industry needs, which we are seeing deliver lower youth unemployment rates here in South Australia at the moment. Because what is the key thing that employers say when they are looking for staff? They want skills and they want experience. We have given those employers the ability to deliver those skills and that experience themselves by supporting on-the-job training.

Ms BEDFORD: Point of order: I have to ask about relevance for apprentices doing butchery in Coles and hope that the minister will get back to that specific point at some point in his answer.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Florey. There is some substance in—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I turn to the question in relation to the standing orders. The point of order has been raised under standing order 134 and the procedure is quite clear. Minister, you are of course well aware of standing order 98, rules in relation to answers, and I draw you to the substance of the question. The minister has the call.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: The member for Florey will be very pleased to hear that we have a Skilling South Australia program with Master Butchers, and Master Butchers are saying they can't get enough people to be apprentice butchers—they cannot get enough. I am sure that Master Butchers are doing everything they can to ensure that those apprentices who may be losing their jobs through the changes at Coles have opportunities to continue their apprenticeships at those members of Master Butchers. Butchering is a terrific trade. It is one of those trades where there's a very low-cost pathway into self-employment.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Minister for Transport is called to order.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: Once you've got that skill—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for West Torrens!

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —you can of course start your own business. There is no doubt that people prefer the extra service they get from the friendly family butcher. I know that when I regularly buy a full chicken from Unley butchers I get it boned and butterflied completely free of charge—completely free of charge for the service I get from the butcher. I get that from a small business that is hungry for business and is giving people the service they want, and that's why I keep going every time we want a chicken.

Saturday, we decided to have roast lamb and the legs were too big for just my wife and I because we are empty nesters. I presented this problem to the butcher and the butcher said, 'I have a solution. Why don't I cut a leg in half and debone it for you?' And I took him up on his offer!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! It is an arresting answer, but there is a point of order.

Ms BEDFORD: Point of order: we are hoping that will have something to do with my apprentices who are evidently all opening small businesses.

The SPEAKER: The member for Florey is quite right. I uphold the point of order. Minister, I bring you to the substance of the question under standing order 98.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: I have answered the question, sir. I advise each and every one of those—

The SPEAKER: You have done much more—much, much more—than answer the question, minister.

The Hon. D.G. PISONI: —apprentices who may be losing their jobs under the changes at Coles to contact Master Butchers. There are jobs waiting for them. There are jobs waiting for them through the Master Butchers association.