Employment Transition Services

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:33): A further supplementary: can the Treasurer confirm that he is unaware of any specific programs being funded by the Liberal state government, contrary to his statement on 16 August, for workers such as those employed at Castalloy?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:34): No, I'm not going to confirm what the honourable member asked me to confirm. I have indicated there are $200 million worth of training programs which the government is funding—$202.6 million I think the exact number is—jointly funded commonwealth and state training programs. There are a range of programs which are going to be funded through the training sector.

The Hon. C.M. Scriven: What are they?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: A range of programs. I am not the minister in charge of vocational training in South Australia.

The Hon. K.J. Maher: You don't even know what's happening in your own portfolio.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I am not the minister in charge of training programs in South Australia.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: Then why do you make promises outside of your portfolio area?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I can listen to them squeak and bleat for as long as they want to squeak and bleat from the opposition benches. If that's all they want to do during question time, good luck to them. They can waste their own question time. I am not going to agree to the position put by the honourable member by way of the supplementary question. There is a massive program of training being invested in by both the state and the federal government. There are commonwealth programs available and there are vocational training programs available. As I said, if there is anything useful that I can add in addition to the comprehensive response that I put on the public record, then I would do so.