Automotive Workers in Transition Program

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:34): I seek leave to make a brief explanation—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Automotive Transformation questions relating to the Automotive Workers in Transition Program.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: In estimates this year the minister stated that:

For the Automotive Workers in Transition Program, for 2015-16 the original budget was $2 million, with a spend of $317,915, with that amount carrying over.

On the basis of that answer, I understand the carryover will be $1.68 million over to the 2016-17 financial year. My questions are:

1. Why was such a large portion of the program unspent and carried over?

2. What will the $1.68 million be used for in the 2016-17 period?

3. What is the length of the government's lease at the Career and Workforce Development Centre, Warradale?

4. What is the total cost of this lease?

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) (14:35): I thank the honourable member for his questions and his obvious agitating for the member for Mitchell to re-takeover that office. It is great that they are sticking together in their flawed and foolish arguments.

In relation to carryovers, we have not seen as many as we initially expected to become part of the Automotive Workers in Transition Program. We are seeing a much larger uptake now as it gets closer to the end of 2017, when the Hon. Stephen Wade's mates dared Holden to leave and they left, and they have said nothing or done nothing about it. It's great when they dig themselves into a hole, they double down on their stupidity. It's great that they double down on their stupidity.

We will use the money in the Automotive Workers in Transition Program to support workers in the supply chain, not just in northern Adelaide but also in southern Adelaide where much of the supply chain is still there from the days when Mitsubishi was manufacturing there. Regardless of whether the member for Mitchell, the member for Dunstan, the Hon. David Ridgway, the Hon. Stephen Wade want us to cut the people of the south adrift, we will not do that.