WorkCover

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation a question regarding input from the minister in an NRM debate about WorkCover.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: In a recent interview on radio FIVEaa, discussing the mismanagement of the NRM levy, between the minister and myself, the minister claimed that the Labor Party was the saviour of businesses in South Australia because it had given them the biggest tax cut that they would ever see from his government, delivered through changes to WorkCover legislation. In the explanation, I put forward that the cost of WorkCover would not have got out of control if the Labor government had managed it properly.

South Australia is the highest taxed state in Australia, and it is a sad indictment on the minister's government if the best he can do to improve taxation is to cut entitlements to injured workers. This wonderful tax cut, as the minister described it, is hardly attracting business to the state or creating jobs. South Australia has the highest unemployment rate (7.2 per cent) in the country, and we can almost hear the doors slam shut behind businesses as, sadly, they are exiting in droves. I won't go through the list, but there is a comprehensive list here that adds up to tens of thousands of jobs that have been lost. Therefore, my questions are:

1. Does the minister agree that his government mismanaged WorkCover for the past 14 to 15 years to get it into the state that it was in the last year?

2. Are the minister and his government prepared to watch his party sell off workers' rights and still claim that his government is the ultimate example of good governance?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (14:42): I thank the honourable member for his question, although it is sad for me to see a member of such standing in this place and such huge experience—a former minister himself in a failed Liberal government—asking questions of a minister relating to portfolios that he is not responsible for. But, there you are, he has done it.

Let me just rub salt into his wounds because every time he goes on the radio—every time—he misleads our community. He uses the wrong information, he doesn't give people facts and he refuses to give credit where it is due to a government that has removed the Save the River Murray levy, a levy of $40 per household and $182 per business. This government removed that levy.

He fails to give any credit to a government that has driven down the cost of the provision of water services to the community—a 6.4 per cent reduction in water bills in 2013-14 and, with their current draft determination, a further 3 per cent reduction which, added up over every single year, adds up to $90 million taken out of the revenue from SA Water. Every year, compared to 2012, a $90 million reduction should this draft determination be supported through the consultation process. The honourable member never ever mentions that—never ever mentions it. He doesn't mention the reduction—

The Hon. R.L. Brokenshire interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Brokenshire, being a former minister, you know the importance of being able to give an answer to an important question without interference. I can't hear the answer; all I can hear is you in the background. Please allow him to give the answer. The minister.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Another problem he has with memory is that it is this government that is reducing business transaction costs over the next forward estimates. He doesn't give us any credit for that. We are the only government in Australia that has reduced these business transaction costs. He doesn't give us any credit for that. This is the government in this country that is driving down costs to business. We are encouraging businesses in this state to profit, to employ more people and to grow their enterprises.

Who does he support instead? Does he support Malcolm Turnbull, whose only message to the states is, 'Drive up payroll taxes, drive up property taxes,' to fill the $80 billion cuts to health and education? His Liberal government has imposed, across all the states over the forward estimates, $80 billion worth of cuts to the states and the federal Liberal Prime Minister's answer to us, as states, is, 'Put up your own payroll taxes, put up your own property taxes to cover the debt the commonwealth has withdrawn from.' The Hon. Mr Brokenshire does not have a leg to stand on when it comes to any credibility in terms of taxation.