Question Time

Automotive Workers Communications Campaign

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Automotive Transformation a question about the automotive workers communications campaign.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: In 2015-16 there was approximately $17.6 million allocated to the automotive transformation program. Sadly, the minister failed to spend just over $10 million of this allocation, with only $6.3 million being spent. The revised budget for the automotive transformation program for the 2016-17 period is now up to $21.2 million. This includes rolling over the $10 million underspend for the previous year. One of the plethora of programs and campaigns within the automotive transformation is the automotive workers communications campaign. The details released around this campaign have been scant, to say the least. My questions to the minister are:

1. What is the total cost of the automotive workers communications campaign?

2. Where was the campaign implemented?

3. Who did it target?

4. What did it achieve?

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) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for his question in relation to the government's thorough response to his federal colleagues ceasing funding and chasing Holden out of this country. He has a nerve and he continues to have a nerve to come in here and talk about issues with the automotive industry. He said nothing when his federal colleagues dared Holden to leave—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let the honourable minister answer the question.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: He is not even anywhere near it.

The PRESIDENT: Well, it does not matter.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The fact is that he is on his feet, he will answer it the way that he sees fit. I have no control over the way he answers questions, but I do want him to answer it in silence. Minister.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: When his federal colleagues chased Holden out of this country. We all remember well Joe Hockey and Warren Truss daring Holden to come clean and go. The very next day, after being dared to leave by the Hon. David Ridgway's colleagues, that is exactly what Holden did. No-one is in any doubt that it is the Liberals who brought the end to automotive manufacturing in this country. We have talked about it before in this chamber, and all the benefits that brings to those economies that have been involved in the auto industry. And as usual, Mr President, we are left to pick up the pieces.

The federal government has almost $900 million in the Automotive Transformation Scheme. The federal government has this money and it is not prepared to spend it on trying to pick up the pieces from its decisions, on the workers who are going to be affected, and it is, quite frankly, disgraceful. Here in this state this Labor government has instituted the Automotive Transformation Taskforce and we have the Automotive Workers in Transition Program. Outcomes of that, up until 27 June of this year, have included over 2,000 individuals attending information sessions, resulting in more than 1,000 registrations through that scheme.

There have been 543 individuals supported to access career advice and transition services, 65 individuals have accessed skills recognitions in Skillsbook and there have been 186 activities in training tickets and licences approved. As I have outlined to this chamber before, where we can increase those who access the scheme and make changes, we will do that, and that is what we have done to increase the eligibility, to increase the range of services provided. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do that.

In relation to the communications plan to which the honourable member refers, obviously there are elements of that that are working well. They have more than 2,000 individuals attending sessions. In relation to very specific costs, I am happy to take that on notice and bring back a reply about how we are fixing his federal colleagues' problems.