Job Creation

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:55): My question is to the Leader of the Government. Given that Victoria and South Australia are both states facing the problem of declining job opportunities in the manufacturing and car industries in particular, can the minister explain how in the last five years in Victoria total jobs of 215,700 were created in that state and in the equivalent period (five years) in South Australia under a Labor government we actually lost 6,400 jobs?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:55): Indeed, although the employment figures that came out most recently showed a small drop in our headline unemployment numbers, nevertheless those figures remain a concern here. We know that in South Australia we obviously have a job strategy in place that we continue to work through. We know there are many challenges, globally, nationally and also specifically in South Australia. We know that some of the global trends that are occurring, because of the small economies of scale of South Australia, tend to have a magnified effect in this state compared with larger jurisdictions, so sometimes the effects are amplified or magnified.

Of course, we are facing the closure of our Holden industry with the transitioning from a more traditional model of reliance on manufacturing to a more advanced activity. I don't know how the honourable member stands up straight in this place, given that the federal government threw us to the wolves; they really offered almost no assistance on that front in terms of assisting the industry to survive into the future. They pulled the rug from under us and have let it collapse. Not only have they done that, but in terms of the assistance—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Dawkins, ministers and the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, please allow the minister to finish her answer.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: So, not only did they pull the rug from under us, but in terms of offering assistance to help the industry transition into a more advanced manufacturing mode and assistance to help those workers, we see how begrudging they have been and how clever they have been at hiding behind various figures and hiding the truth in terms of their lack of real support to come in and assist South Australian workers. Not only that, we see again the federal Liberal Abbott government backflipping on a promise in relation to our submarines, a commitment that was given to South Australia that will mean future jobs, future industry development and activity, the very people that—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Order, the Hon. Mr Maher!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —will help us grow and secure jobs. What do they do, Mr President? They're doing secret deals with the Japanese and, clearly, have no intention of involving South Australia. I do not know how the honourable member can come into this place and have the audacity to raise these issues without noting part of the responsibility that the federal Liberal government has in our demise.