Northern Economic Plan

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:29): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Employment a question about jobs in northern Adelaide.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: There has been a lot of focus on the unemployment rate in Adelaide's north, which currently sits at 8.7 per cent, which is the highest in South Australia. Data from ABS labour force region SA4 has shown a significant decline in jobs in certain industries over the 12-month period from February 2016-17 in accommodation and food services, which declined from 15,900 jobs to 9,900, and in transport, postal and warehousing, which declined from 13,500 jobs to 10,700. These figures are amongst the biggest drops across Australia. My questions to the minister are:

1. Given these large decreases across several industries, which are meant to be growing, can the minister explain how he expects to fulfil the promise of 15,000 jobs announced as part of the Northern Economic Plan?

2. In which industries are those 15,000 jobs located?

3. How many jobs have been created in the northern area since the minister made that 15,000 job promise, and how many have been lost over the same period?

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) (14:30): I thank the honourable member for her question, which is very similar, I think, to a question the Hon. Jing Lee asked just last week in relation to jobs in northern Adelaide. Certainly, there are some areas that are growing in northern Adelaide. An example that is often talked about is the growth in jobs in the food manufacturing area. For 17 years in a row, food manufacturing has been growing in northern Adelaide, year on year. There are other areas where jobs have been growing right across South Australia.

Whilst it is true that there are some areas that have seen job declines, there are areas that have seen job increases. We talked about it just last week, or the week before, the fact that except for one month over the last 18 months employment has grown every month, month on month, in South Australia. Every month, month on month, employment has grown in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I know it is an inconvenient fact, and it is probably not one the member opposite has looked at or understands particularly well, but there is a point to be made when you contrast the plans for northern Adelaide between the Labor and Liberal parties. Last year, we put over $24 million into a northern Adelaide economic plan, the Northern Economic Plan. We have had one suggestion for policies from those opposite that would go to this: their 2036 plan. From their 2036 plan, do you know how many times it mentions northern Adelaide? Not once. Do you know how many times it mentions Holden workers or automotive? Not a single time.

An honourable member: Not once.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Not once. Do you know how many times it mentions submarines? Not a single time. Do you know how many costings or what sort of detail about policies there is? Not a single thing—not a single thing.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: It's a broad document.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Do you know how much detail there is? Very, very little. It does mention things, because it is a broad document. It mentions the word 'believe' 159 times. Just because you want or believe something to be true or you believe something, it is not the case. You have to have details and you have to have policies. I am very proud of what this government has done in supporting workers and in supporting industries in northern Adelaide. It stands in stark contrast to what those on the other side have put forward.