Our Jobs Plan

The Hon. A.L. McLACHLAN (14:57): My question is for the Minister for Employment. Minister, it has been three years since the government released its Our Jobs Plan. I ask the minister to advise whether the government intends to commission an independent review that measures the success of the various components of the jobs 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) (14:57): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in government programs that support economic development in South Australia more generally. Certainly elements of our employment plan have been assessed. We have talked quite a lot in this chamber about the Frost & Sullivan review and I note the honourable member has asked about some of our automotive programs and how we will subject them to ongoing assessment. I can say, particularly for the automotive programs, we will obviously look at the efficacy of those programs, but our first and foremost efforts are rolling those programs out and continuing to make sure they are providing the support that they have provided in the past.

I do note in relation to employment in South Australia, the disappointment that seems to come from the South Australian Liberals over the last few months in terms of employment. They have loved talking down South Australia as much as they can, seeking to make this state as unprosperous as they possibly can. Over the last two months, we have seen the lowest unemployment rate in almost half a decade in this state.

Last month, we saw only New South Wales have a better unemployment rate than South Australia on the headline figures. This month, we saw our second-lowest unemployment rate in almost half a decade. We have seen about five consecutive months of trend unemployment coming down and they hate it. The state Liberals hate seeing South Australia doing well. It gives them less opportunity to talk us down, less opportunity to scare away investment, and less opportunity to be hating on this state.