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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-09-18 Daily Xml
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PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (14:37): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills. Can the minister outline to the house what impact cutting 25,000 public servants would have on overall employment in South Australia?

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker.

The SPEAKER: What is your point of order?

Mr WILLIAMS: The point of order is that the question is hypothetical, and I do not believe hypothetical questions are in order.

The SPEAKER: I think your definition of 'hypothetical' is probably a bit different to mine in relation to a question like this. Minister.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. By asking this question, is the government saying that it is their intention to cut 25,000 jobs? If they are not saying that then the question must be hypothetical.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, there is no point of order. That was a question on top of a question. Minister.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON (Newland—Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Recreation and Sport) (14:38): I thank the member for his question. If 25,000 jobs were cut from the South Australian public sector, this would have a dramatic effect on employment levels in this state. Based on the August 2012 figures—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, leave the chamber for the rest of question time. We might reduce our noise level by about a third.

The honourable member for Norwood having withdrawn from the chamber:

Mr WILLIAMS: I am sure the people of South Australia are more interested in the actual effect of the 30,000 jobs that have already been lost from the private sector in the last 12 months.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for MacKillop, will you stop making statements when you are supposedly making points of order. You will leave the chamber if you do it again. Minister.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: Based on the August 2012 figures, the number of South Australians employed dropped from 811,400 to 786,400. This would be the lowest level of employment in South Australia since February 2008, when there were only 786,200 South Australians employed. In one fell swoop, 4½ years of employment growth would be thrown away. A loss of 25,000 public servants would see the number of unemployed South Australians rise from 49,700 to 74,700. This would be the highest number of unemployed South Australians since September 1994, 18 years ago when the opposition was last in government.

This cut of 25,000 public servants would increase the unemployment rate by more than 50 per cent in South Australia, from 5.7 per cent to 8.7 per cent. This would be the highest unemployment rate in South Australia since March 1999, when it was 8.8 per cent—again under the Liberal opposition when they were last in government. Even if half of those sacked public servants were absorbed by the private sector, we would still see an unemployment rate at over 7 per cent.

Every member of this place who represents a rural or regional electorate would also know that slashing the Public Service by 25,000 people will also hit employment rates in regional South Australia particularly hard. Between 5,000 and 7,000 jobs would be lost from regional South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: The flow-on to regional economies will see increased unemployment and reduced access to services.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: A policy of reducing the Public Service by 25,000 is a declaration to every young South Australian who wants to serve or is currently serving in the community as a nurse, a teacher, a police officer or even a disability support worker that you are not wanted by the Liberals. While this government is focused on getting more people into training for jobs, the opposition is formulating policies which will see—

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order.

Mr WILLIAMS: Standing order 98; this is debate.

The SPEAKER: No, it's not debate. It was a straightforward question and he is answering that question. Can I remind cameras that they are only to film people who are on their feet. I have noticed the cameras straying to my left quite considerably.

The Hon. T.R. KENYON: As Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, I reaffirm the commitment of this government to more training for jobs. Our Skills for All reforms are a road map to achieve just that.

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