Whyalla Workforce

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (14:46): My question is to the Deputy Premier. Can the Deputy Premier update the house on action the government is taking to support the Whyalla workforce?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Deputy Premier, Minister for Climate, Environment and Water, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Minister for Workforce and Population Strategy) (14:46): I am delighted to bring the house up to date with some of the detail of the ways in which the government is structuring support for the workforce in Whyalla. Having heard the answer by the Premier previously on the way in which the businesses are being supported in Whyalla, it is also important to think about the workforce generally.

We are fortunate that the South Australian economy is in such a strong position at present and that the unemployment rate generally is so low. That is a better condition to be in going into this challenge and the challenges that have been existing in the last several months than, say, when the federal Liberal government chased the last car maker out of the country when economic conditions were already difficult and that had an enormously deleterious impact. But what we have been proposing to do is of course, not only—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Newland will leave the chamber until the end of question time.

The honourable member for Newland having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Now, of course the very move that this parliament facilitated through the vote yesterday and the decision by the government to put the steelworks into administration, GFG into administration, is in itself a way of supporting businesses and the workers of Whyalla, and the administrators will be able to stabilise now both business and provide increased certainty for workers who are currently employed.

Nonetheless, we are putting on the ground, and have been putting on the ground recently, the kind of support that's required to make sure that the workers have a pathway to ongoing prosperity. So we have been on the ground for some time directly supporting affected workers, and of course we have reiterated our commitment to supporting the Whyalla community by extending our commitment to support affected workers in Whyalla through this period of administration and ensuring we maintain the critical industrial capability within Whyalla.

Three weeks ago, we unveiled a $1.75 million package designed to support redundant workers and contractors, to support affected workers within the supply chain and associated activities, to support apprentices and also to support small businesses. That package is already being rolled out and is supporting workforce and skills programs to provide affected workers the opportunity to upskill and undertake accredited training.

It is enabling affected apprentices to remain in their apprenticeship and/or to transition to new employment opportunities, and it is providing services that will support the local regional workforce and small businesses affected by recent redundancies within the Whyalla region through tailored career advice for individuals, financial advisory services for small businesses and also a dedicated local regional coordinator.

Last week I travelled to Whyalla with several of my colleagues, including the Premier, and I spent some time watching this work occurring in action. The Career Transition Service, established in partnership with the Resources and Engineering Skills Alliance and the RDA Eyre Peninsula, is providing a professional and personalised career counselling service for the Whyalla community. It is supporting individuals looking to commence, transition or build their career, including those already navigating redundancy, job loss and reduced hours, and is developing individualised and tailored career transition plans, referrals to fee-free TAFE—thank you very much to the Minister for Education—and subsidised accredited training, fee-free courses, and occupational tickets and licences for eligible redundant workers.

Free accredited training is being provided for up to 300 affected workers through TAFE SA—again, thanks to the Minister for Education—and other registered training organisations. We are making sure we retain our apprentices through ensuring training contracts remain alive and active and apprentices are progressing through off-job training while a new employer is being identified. There is more support that is being provided and I am sure that members interested will be paying close attention.