Our Jobs Plan

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (15:12): Thank you, Leader of the Government. Mr President, I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment a question regarding the government's Our Jobs Plan.

Leave granted.

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: In January 2017—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: I seek your protection, Mr President. In January 2017—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Hon. Mr McLachlan, please take your seat. The Hon. Mr Dawkins, I think what you just said was a little bit outrageous.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: Was it?

The PRESIDENT: Yes.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: I withdraw it.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: I didn't hear it. Can he repeat it, so I can hear it?

The PRESIDENT: Thank God; you would be offended. The Hon. Mr McLachlan, on your feet.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: Point of order, sir: the Minister for Police continues to interject over the top of his ministerial colleagues. He interjects while a member of parliament is on his feet—

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: —that you have given the call to, and he has defied you on many occasions since he has been in this parliament, which is just on 12 months. The place existed before he came in—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS: —and I ask you to actually show some control over all the ministers, but particularly that one, when other people are on their feet.

The PRESIDENT: When I see little halos over all the Opposition's heads and they are all as innocent as what you would like the honourable minister to be, I will do that. But until then, the Hon. Mr McLachlan can ask his question.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN: I protest my innocence. Perhaps the government could follow my example, Mr President, being demure in the chamber. Just to recap for the minister: January 2017 will mark the third anniversary of the Premier's release of the Our Jobs Plan. Minister, is the government on track to achieve its target of supporting 8,000 workers, and their families, gain new skills, as traditional jobs disappear, by the end of January 2017, a target that is set out in page 10 of the government's plan?

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) (15:14): I thank the honourable member for his question, and, as we know, we have had a number of major things happen over the last recent years that have affected South Australia disproportionately to nearly everywhere else in Australia. The slowdown in manufacturing was caused by their friends opposite. There is no getting away from the fact that they chased the car industry out of this state. We have talked about this again.

I admire the Hon. Andrew McLachlan. I admire how bravely he asks these questions, knowing what he is walking into. They give him the questions, and unquestioningly—he doesn't think about it. He just asks these questions, knowing what he is walking into, knowing that it's their fault that the slowdown in manufacturing has happened. He is a good soldier for the opposition. That's why he is soon to be leader of the opposition in this place. Everyone knows it and we talk about it very often.

In relation to jobs created, the slowdown in mining as a result of world commodity prices has massively affected this state.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister, sit down. Will the minister not antagonise the other side because it just makes it so much more difficult to control.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: I have heard a lot worse. The honourable minister, back on your feet.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Thank you, Mr President. We know that we are heading in the right direction now in South Australia. We have done some very hard work in this state. We know from the latest monthly employment figures that there are over 8,000 more people employed in South Australia compared to the 12 months before that, so we can see that the trend is heading in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!