Building Family Opportunities

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (15:19): My question is for the Minister for Employment. Can the minister advise the chamber how many people have gained employment through the Building Family Opportunities program since the program was extended in 2014?

The Hon. K.J. Maher: Could I have a bit more information?

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: The minister has asked for more information, Mr President. It is a program called as I have described, and the chamber was informed about it by the former leader of the government, the Hon. Gail Gago, in question time on 19 June 2014.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for his very important question. He regularly asks very sensible, well thought out questions on many areas. He has asked very good questions about the Micro Finance Fund and a whole lot of other areas. I don't have information on that particular program.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I am happy to go away and find out about that particular program.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: We have 1¼ minutes to go. The Hon. Ms Franks would have liked to have asked a question, but I don't think it is going to happen. Minister, is that it? Have you finished?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: No. For the honourable member's information, there is a whole range of programs in my portfolio areas that are great programs that provide jobs, and I know the honourable member is familiar with a number of programs. He regularly asks about those programs. The SA Micro Finance Fund, as the future leader of the opposition in this place, the gallant Hon. Andrew McLachlan, is well aware, has provided a number of grants over a couple of rounds to a whole range of South Australian firms and start-up companies.

We have programs where we work with our universities, including the NanoConnect program with Adelaide University and the Flinders University Medical Device Partnering Program. Our Innovation Voucher Program has been very successful in providing jobs through innovation in this state. We have manufacturing technology programs. Our Business Transformation Voucher Program has had great success in helping businesses transform to meet the challenges of the future. There are many other ways that we have provided job creation programs, not just in areas that I have direct portfolio responsibilities over but in areas right across government. It is a great focus of this government that it is every minister's business to make sure that they are doing all they can to provide jobs in South Australia.