Matter of Privilege

Matter of Privilege

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:41): Sir, I raise a matter of privilege. Yesterday, in question time, the Treasurer said, and I quote:

Last Thursday the ABS released the latest labour force data and it showed that our unemployment rate had fallen to 3.9 per cent, the equal lowest in the nation and, pleasingly, once again below the national average of 4.2 per cent. It is interesting to note that this is the 13^th time that the ABS has reported monthly labour force data for South Australia where our unemployment rate has had a 3 in front of it, that it has been below 4 per cent, and that is the 13^th time since records began 46 years ago. Those 13 times have been recorded in the last two years, so that just shows how strongly our state's economy is performing. A full percentage point lower than what it was at the time of the last election.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data from December 2021 reports the unemployment rate for South Australia at 3.9 per cent. It is clear that the Treasurer has knowingly and intentionally misled the parliament to ballast his argument that good economic outcomes and low unemployment rates are the result only of this Labor government. I seek, sir, that you give consideration to this matter according to precedent.

The SPEAKER: I thank the member for Morialta and ask the member to provide me with all relevant information. I will consider the request in due course and come back to the house on whether I consider the matter to be prima facie a matter of privilege.