House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-06 Daily Xml

Contents

EMPLOYMENT FIGURES

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (14:33): My question is again to the Premier. Can the Premier confirm that there are fewer jobs now in South Australia than there were when Labor made its promise to create 100,000 new jobs by 2016?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Minister for State Development) (14:34): Madam Speaker, what I can confirm is that this government is committed to growing employment in this state for the benefit of our citizens, and that we won't be deflected from that—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: —we won't be deflected from that task by those—

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, deputy leader.

Mr WILLIAMS: As I said earlier, these are very important questions. This is a very straightforward question: can he confirm, or does he not know the answer? Do you have no interest, Premier?

The SPEAKER: Thank you. Sit down. You have only given him 15 seconds to answer his question. Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: We won't be deflected by those opposite who come in here wanting to make mileage, introducing their own form of negative stimulus into the South Australian economy. That is essentially—that is the only contribution that they are prepared to make to public policy.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: That is the talking down of the South Australian economy, the introduction of negative sentiment about the opportunities that exist for us within the South Australian economy. I have been open with the fact that there are challenges, challenges which we have to meet as a state, but it is only by having a vision for the future of the state, it is only by advancing policies that address those challenges that there is any possibility of us moving forward. This is what we are promoting for the future of our state and I invite those opposite to contribute one positive measurable idea.