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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-09-25 Daily Xml
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Unemployment Figures

Mr MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Leader of the Opposition) (14:22): If a 7.3 per cent unemployment rate is no problem whatsoever, what level of unemployment constitutes a problem?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:22): We are going to do everything we can to create more jobs in South Australia. We don't accept the current unemployment rate, but it is a function—

Mr Malinauskas: So it is a problem?

The SPEAKER: Leader, we have the question.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —of a significantly higher participation rate in South Australia. I'm glad the Leader of the Opposition has continued with this line of questioning because it provides me with the opportunity to provide the house with some more information regarding this surge in participation rate that we have had in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Elizabeth is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: If we look at the increases across the country in terms of participation rate, we see that from April 2018 to August 2019 the statistics show that we have had the second largest surge in participation rate in the country, only just behind New South Wales. The third is Victoria—

Mr Malinauskas interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Leader!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and every other jurisdiction in the country has had a contraction in their participation rate. We have worked hard to create the opportunities for the next generation here in our state. We have been doing everything we can to create more jobs, and I'm pleased to show that what we are now delivering are more jobs in South Australia than at any time in the history of this state. Let's look at a comparison, because I always think comparisons are useful to provide some colour and information to the house. If we look at the last six months in South Australia—

The Hon. L.W.K. Bignell interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Mawson is on the board.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we have created 5,000 jobs in South Australia. When I say 'we' have created it, the state has created it, the private sector has created it, employers have created this, and that is something to celebrate—5,000 jobs in the last six months. Compare that with the first six months of the returned Weatherill government. They lost 5,000 jobs in a six-month period.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They lost 5,000 jobs, and at exactly the same time—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Members on my left, the Premier has the call.

Mr Malinauskas: Tell the full story.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The leader is saying, 'Tell the full story.' Ask another question and I can go into more information that demonstrates that we are moving this state in the right direction. This is exactly and precisely what we are focused on doing—that is, creating more jobs in South Australia. We are doing that by creating a more attractive environment for businesses to be successful in this state.

When we are talking to businesses, they are saying that skills are really important. That is why the Minister for Innovation and Skills is working hard to create 20,800 new apprenticeship places in South Australia to provide that future workforce. We see many other—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —jurisdictions in Australia in freefall in terms of commencements in terms of apprenticeships and traineeships, exactly the same place we were at when we took over government—an absolute freefall. TAFE was an absolute debacle. What have we done? We have put—

Dr Close interjecting:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition says that is not true. When we look at TAFE, if she could only ask a question—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The minister for industry is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —we would be able to answer a question on TAFE. When is the deputy leader going to be allowed to ask a question in question time?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Is the Premier finished?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: No, not at all, sir; I'm still talking about TAFE.

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Personal reflections on members are completely out of order, sir, and beneath the Premier.

The SPEAKER: Yes, I have the point of order.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! I would ask the deputy leader, respectfully, to stop interjecting. I remind the leader that supps are a right, not an obligation for me to award. I have awarded the supplementary in good faith. I would like to hear the Premier's answer. Premier, I ask you not to reflect on other members, if possible, and to come back to the substance of the question. Thank you.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am not reflecting on members.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: What I am doing is making it very clear that what we inherited in terms of TAFE was nothing short of a debacle.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Since then, we have put more than $100 million back into the TAFE system and $200 million back into skills in South Australia. These are the things that businesses need us to be doing on this side of the house to create the right business environment for them to employ the workforce of the future. We are up to this task. There is a lot work to be done. Yes, we have made some movements in the right direction: we have the highest level of employment in the history of the state, but we are not stopping there. We are going to be pushing ahead every single month to create more jobs.

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