Automotive Workers in Transition Program

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (14:43): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Automotive Transformation a question regarding the Automotive Workers in Transition Program, which he is so passionate about.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: The Career and Workforce Development Centre at Warradale, of which the minister is very fond, I understand offers opportunities for workers to hear from guest speakers from leading industry groups as well as information centres. My question for the minister is: how many guest speakers and information centres have been arranged since the opening of the centre, and who have been the guest speakers?

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) (14:44): I thank the honourable member for his well-intentioned question. I do have some sympathy for him. I am sure he was handed his question by his colleagues, who say, 'This'll be a great line of questioning. Nothing could possibly go wrong for us with this one,' without realising some of the murky history to this, what that building is to be used for and perhaps some of the motivation about why he is being set up to ask some of these questions.

In relation to individual guest speakers who may have been there, I am happy to go away—because even if he has been set up, I am sure it is a genuine question. The Hon. David Ridgway who is known to regularly lurk around there with his selfie stick might even know who the guest speakers have been—

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Point of order.

The PRESIDENT: Point of order, the Hon. Mr Ridgway.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: I would like the minister to withdraw that. I do not own a selfie stick and I do not lurk around the suburbs.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Well, I don't. I am happy to own something or do something but I will not have somebody say that I own something or do something that I do not own or do.

The PRESIDENT: The honourable minister, continue.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I apologise to the Hon. David Ridgway if, as he says, he has never owned a selfie stick and he just lurks around the Warradale centre occasionally in his spare time. In relation to the questions that have been put by the Hon. Andrew McLachlan, I know he has asked them with the best intentions, so I will bring back an answer for him.