SOUTH AUSTRALIANS LIVING IN POVERTY

The Hon. J.S. LEE (16:02): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Leader of the Government a question about South Australians living in poverty.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: The South Australian Council of Social Services released a survey to mark Anti-Poverty Week this week. It reviews what poverty means to South Australians. In the SACOSS Anti-Poverty Statement 2011, it was reported that, at the last count, 200,000 South Australians (or 12.3 per cent) were living in poverty. That is more than one out of every 10 people in our state.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' household expenditure survey also shows that 14 per cent could not pay their gas, electricity or telephone bill on time; 3. 5 per cent went without meals because of financial stress; and 2.3 per cent could not afford to heat their homes. The survey also shows that general living prices have risen in Adelaide over the last year, including that fruit and vegetables have risen by 38.1 per cent, electricity by 16.8 per cent and utilities by 13.4 per cent. My questions are:

1. How is the government addressing problems faced by some 200,000 people living in poverty in South Australia?

2. Can the Leader of the Government explain whether she believes that the government is meeting its goals and targets of growing prosperity, improving wellbeing and expanding opportunities within the vision of the South Australian Strategic Plan when so many people cannot even afford to pay for food or to heat their homes?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (16:04): I thank the honourable member for her most important questions. Indeed, it is always a very sobering and very confronting thing to face some of these reports which show us that there are still members of our community who suffer considerable disadvantage, including poverty. We know that poverty is associated with a number of factors. We know that it is associated with things such as access to employment, education, family modelling, mental health issues and health issues as well.

In South Australia, we have one of the oldest populations, and this also has an impact on poverty. We continue to strive to ensure that every South Australian and, for that matter, every Australian—and that extends internationally as well—do whatever they can to address issues of poverty. There is a wide range of government amenities and services in place to assist and support people, and there is a wide range of services and supports with family and community services. There are our comprehensive health services, our policing services that help provide protection for people, and our education and training programs, as well as a range of concessions, rebates and assistance that we provide to people on low incomes.

I guess part of the bottom line in addressing this is a strong, prosperous economy, as well as jobs. The Rann Labor government has worked extremely hard to ensure that South Australia enjoys a strong economy. We have been able to retain a AAA credit rating when many other countries around the world, and other states, are losing theirs. I know it is not the end to all our problems; nevertheless, it does represent sound economic management and a degree of economic confidence.

The Rann Labor government has been able to do this through a number of mechanisms, but particularly by working very hard to diversify our economic base through defence, mining and education, to name but a few. Of course, fundamental to this are jobs, and we are currently enjoying an unemployment rate of just over 5 per cent. A highly esteemed international guest indicated that, from an international perspective, a figure of around 5 per cent is extremely good; some countries sit at about nine, 10 or 11 per cent.

We work very hard to ensure jobs availability, and key to that, of course, is our Olympic Dam proposal. This is a very important opportunity for the future prosperity of this state, and it is just one example of a project on the horizon.

An honourable member: The only one.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: To suggest it is the only one is outrageous. There is the work we have done in defence, and we have just received a ministerial statement advising that another international university wants to open here; it is paying us to open up here in this state, so our education industry development is also something we have advanced a great deal. It is completely wrong and misleading to suggest that Olympic Dam is the only project on our horizon.