Shop Trading Hours

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:51): Supplementary: why is the Labor Party making it more difficult for people to earn an income during times of rising living expenses?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Your ministerial colleague is not helping. The Hon. Mr Wortley, I only have to get to 11 to be able to throw you out and I reckon I can get to about 20.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:52): In answering the honourable member's question, we support people having a decent wage. That's what we do on this side of the chamber. That's what we support, but we also support a sensible balance for families in South Australia. We took competing policies to the last state election—the Liberal Party versus every other party—and they were competing policies on shop trading hours. One was a sensible balance. One was a sensible balance that protects important family time and, what is also important to this, protects local businesses.

We know in South Australia we have a much higher proportion of independent supermarkets, something like one-third in South Australia—a much higher penetration than in any other jurisdiction in Australia—and do you know what? Many of those support, at much greater levels, local businesses, local food producers, local food manufacturers.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Point of order: the question was about workers' capacity to earn an income, not about businesses.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: We will wait until the Hon. Ms Bourke ceases to interject. Are you finished?

The Hon. E.S. Bourke: I am, sir.

The PRESIDENT: And, Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, we don't need your help either. Minister, can you conclude your remarks, stay on topic and can we move on.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Workers in local food manufacturers need to earn an income as well. We know, under the shop trading regime we have, there is a much higher penetration of independent supermarkets than in any other state. They use more local produce. That leads to more jobs and more income for those in the local food production sector. We support—

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Supplementary.

The PRESIDENT: We will have a supplementary when the minister has finished his answer.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: We support local workers.