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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-09-11 Daily Xml
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ADELAIDE QUALITY OF LIVING

Dr CLOSE (Port Adelaide) (14:14): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the house on Adelaide's ranking in terms of liveability and affordability?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:14): With pleasure. We know, of course, that Adelaide has been consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world. Twice each year the Economist Intelligence Unit releases a Global Liveability Survey in which 140 cities are ranked worldwide. For the past two years, Adelaide has ranked fifth in the world; this year, shared fifth with Calgary in Canada. This is an excellent result and it highlights some wonderful things about our capital city.

When compared with the rest of the world's cities, Adelaide received an overall ranking of 96.6. This included a score of 100 in both health care and education. The strengths captured in this survey include: access to education and health care; a low crime rate; strong cultural offerings; widespread availability of goods and services, including high-quality food and drink; and infrastructure, including our road network, public transport, housing and essential services.

These are areas in which we as a state government have invested, and that investment has paid off. In Adelaide, we are fortunate to live in a city that is not confronted by extreme conflict and we have invested to ensure that our crime rates and congestion are kept to a minimum. This has not happened by accident. We have made the investments necessary and we have worked in partnership to achieve this. This work has also meant that we are not only the most liveable place; we are the most affordable.

According to research released yesterday by Ben Phillips at the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), Adelaide has the lowest cost of living in the nation. Despite the misleading claims often made by those opposite, this research has shown that electricity is around 10 per cent cheaper in Adelaide than Sydney, grocery bills are cheaper by 4 per cent and transportation is 7 per cent cheaper. With housing making up the single biggest household—

The SPEAKER: Is the deputy leader taking a point of order?

Ms CHAPMAN: I think you, sir, appreciate the point of order about making an accusation about misleading the house. If you could caution the Premier not to do that. Unless he wants a more substantive motion then he should withdraw.

The SPEAKER: I understand that you are perfectly free outside the house to mislead the public if you want to—members are. So, I do not think it is a breach of standing orders. It might be reprehensible, but it is not—

An honourable member interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The offence is misleading the house and, as I understand it, the Premier is not accusing members opposite of misleading the house.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There is a sensitivity. I accept there is some sensitivity, so I will rephrase this: despite inaccurate claims often made by those opposite, this research has shown that electricity is around 10 per cent cheaper in Adelaide than Sydney, grocery bills are cheaper by 4 per cent and transportation is 7 per cent cheaper. So, you can take that up with Mr Phillips if you have a different view. With housing making up the single biggest household expense, it is significant that the average mortgage is 38 per cent cheaper in Adelaide than Sydney and average rent is 40 per cent cheaper.

When tallied up, when compared with Sydney, Australia's most expensive city, Adelaide families are almost $5,000 better off. Despite this, we recognise that many South Australians struggle to make ends meet. That is why we have made 'affordable place to live' one of our key priorities. We have done this to protect those things that make South Australia an affordable place to live but also to provide greater support for those who are struggling. We are committed to not slashing the services that South Australians rely upon, while continuing to improve and invest in new services.

All of us should be proud that Adelaide is consistently ranked as one of the most liveable and affordable places to live in the world. While we all hear some of the criticism that often emanates from those opposite, what we never hear are any alternatives or new ideas to advance and ensure that our liveability and affordability continue to be the envy of this state.

Mr PISONI: Point of order, sir: this is clearly debate.

The SPEAKER: No. The Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: There is a serious point about this: I think South Australia does actually have to develop some pride in what we have achieved. What we have achieved together in this state is something that is the envy of the world. This is a beautiful place to live. It is one of the most wonderful places to live on the planet and we have independent verified international research that backs up that point. I think we need to believe it more about ourselves and value what we have achieved together.

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