House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-04-09 Daily Xml

Contents

GM HOLDEN

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:50): Does the Premier now accept that a cost-benefit analysis should be undertaken for any further investment of taxpayers' money?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:50): The cost-benefit analysis was laid out very clearly to the South Australian parliament. We set out the terms and conditions of the arrangement that we met, we showed what the cost was (the loss of over 16,000 jobs), we set out what the benefit was (a billion dollars of infrastructure investment here in South Australia), and we also set out the particular contribution that the South Australian community was asked to make, which was $50 million. I don't know how much clearer than setting out all of the costs and all of the benefits in a written document—

Mr Gardner: The third word is 'analysis'.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: It was backed up by analysis by the University of Adelaide. We published the University of Adelaide's analysis about the number of jobs that would be in jeopardy if we didn't invest in the future of Holden's. We knew what would happen without the investment: it was the closure of Holden's. We were able to measure that. I don't know how much more the opposition needs. Of course, what they want to do is to walk both sides of the street, because they actually don't—they have people running around in the Liberal Party who actually don't—support investing in Holden.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS: Point of order: debate.

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport's point of order is correct, and so I call the Premier to order. The leader is on his feet, so he can ask another question.