Whyalla Steelworks

Ms SAVVAS (Newland) (14:26): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier update the house on what action has been taken to support the community in Whyalla?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:26): I want to thank the member for Newland for her question, because I know she is coming at this from a particular angle. I have had the chance to be with the member for Newland on the ground in her community and see her passion and enthusiasm for small businesses in the north-eastern suburbs of Adelaide. That sort of interest is entirely consistent with one of the key parts of the announcement that we have made today.

The people who have probably been doing it the toughest on the ground in Whyalla are small business owners, who have been characterised as creditors but are small business owners doing work on the ground, going into the steelworks and basically giving the place life. The workers have been amazing, but they are working next to other workers who are contractors, often employing other workers themselves, the difference being that they are not getting paid whereas the employees have been.

One of the things that we have been turning our mind to for some time as a cabinet, particularly the Treasurer and in Treasury, is how we are going to support creditors. One thing we were really determined to make sure was that we weren't going to have taxpayer funds bailing out GFG. We weren't going to have taxpayer funds pay Mr Gupta's debts. What we wanted to do was look after small business but not relieve Mr Gupta of his obligations.

I am very pleased today that through a great piece of policy work undertaken through the Minister for State Development's department and the Treasurer's department we have a package—and we announced it with them face-to-face this morning; we didn't announce it in the media; we wanted to announce with them—that is going to relieve them of their burden. It will relieve them of their burden. They have all been worried that they are never going to get paid, and that means they have been having to lay people off.

What we have announced is as follows. For businesses that are owed debts by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd, up to $5 million they are going to get their money. They are going to get their money. We are going to give them a grant of up to $5 million for the debts they are owed by OneSteel Manufacturing Pty Ltd. In exchange, those creditors will then assign their rights and entitlements, through the administration, to the South Australian government, so we are protecting the interests of taxpayers.

That is a really unique and appropriate policy solution, because it looks after those people who have done nothing wrong and deserve to be protected but retains the obligations on GFG through the administration process to protect the interests of South Australian taxpayers. Of course, that's a very different approach from one that we have heard advocated for. That's a very different approach from the one that we have heard advocated by those on that side of the house: 'Just relieve Gupta of his obligations. Pay Gupta's bills for him.'

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Yes, 'Pay Gupta.' Be damned with the taxpayer.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my right! The member for Newland will come to order!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Here on this side of the house we stand with small business.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta can leave the chamber until the end of question time.

The honourable member for Morialta having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: We want to protect those who have kept the steelworks alive, but we have also done it in such a way that protects the interests of the South Australian taxpayer. More than that, so much of that money—in fact, for those business with over $5,000 worth of debt, but up to $1 million, they will be able to get up to 50 per cent of that debt owed to them paid quickly in a rapid-fire way through the way this has been crafted. For those creditors who are looking for this information and want to get access to this support, they go to statedevelopment.sa.gov.au. The website is now live, it is ready to go—because we are organised, we have a policy put together and the government is backing in small businesses in Whyalla.