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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-09-21 Daily Xml
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Defence Naval Shipbuilding

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (14:09): My question is to the Premier. Can the Premier please update the house on how the Marshall Liberal government is creating more jobs for South Australians, particularly in defence, and is the Premier aware of any alternative plan?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:09): I thank the member for Colton for his excellent question. Unlike those opposite who want to get into the gutter at every single opportunity, we have questions here, from the member for Colton, which are focused on the future of South Australia and he asks very important questions about employment in South Australia.

He is a father of two wonderful children and he wants jobs for them into the future, and that is exactly and precisely what we are delivering here in South Australia. I was very delighted when I heard the ABS statistics—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Playford!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —only a few days ago that the unemployment rate in South Australia is 5 per cent.

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Cheltenham!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: That is 1½ per cent lower than what we inherited when those left opposite, when they left the treasury bench, and we now have more full-time employees in South Australia than ever before in the history of South Australia. I also was delighted to see that the youth unemployment rate was lower than it has been for 12 years in South Australia, and it doesn't happen by accident. It certainly doesn't happen by accident when you are going through a global pandemic. It means that you are putting policies in place that provide opportunities for South Australia.

One of those areas is of course the area of defence. Wasn't it a great morning last week when we woke up to that joint press conference between President Joe Biden, our Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Boris Johnson when they made that announcement—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the AUKUS announcement that really will secure jobs here in South Australia for decades to come, for decades and decades to come? I can't believe those over there are doing anything other than cheering—

Ms Cook interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Hurtle Vale!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —the outcome for future generations in South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Playford is called to order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: They have been talking about it for a long period of time, but we secured the full cycle docking to remain in South Australia. We were able to secure the life-of-type extension for the Collins class for decades to come. This is a project that will run from 2026 right through to 2038, creating hundreds and hundreds of additional jobs. Of course, the other fantastic news is that the life-of-type extension for the Hobart class will be done right here in South Australia beginning in 2024.

On top of that, of course, is the new AUKUS arrangement, where we will be producing a nuclear-powered submarine fleet here in South Australia, so young people who are doing their year 12 at the moment and thinking about their subjects at university will be able to think to themselves that there are now decades and decades of work in the defence sector, so why not look at this important sector. It's not just for the people currently at school; it's also for people that had to leave South Australia under the previous Labor government because they had no plan for jobs here in South Australia. They will be able to come back to South Australia. We will be able to provide—

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Cheltenham!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —challenging, rewarding, sustainable, long-term jobs in South Australia for decades to come because of the great outcomes from this fantastic relationship that we have—

Mr Szakacs interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Cheltenham is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —developed with the federal government. The question said am I aware of any other alternative plans. Well, the answer to that is no, because Labor still, with less than six months until the election, have absolutely nothing. In fact, the Labor Party policy—actually, I will tell you: the Labor Party policy was to transfer the full cycle docking and the life-of-type extension to Western Australia. That was the Labor Party policy. The federal Labor Party said, 'Let's ship them all to Western Australia.' The Leader of the Opposition was so weak, he couldn't even convince his own colleagues to back our South Australia.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. The member for West Torrens rises on a point of order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98, sir.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition, the Premier!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister for Innovation and Skills!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for West Torrens has the call. He is entitled to be heard in silence.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Standing order 98: the Premier is debating the answer.

The SPEAKER: I listened carefully to the Premier, particularly over the course of the last 25 seconds or so, having listened carefully also to the question asked by the member for Colton. The question was primarily concerned with matters the subject of recent announcements in relation to defence; it also addressed the question of context and, in particular, other plans. The question was otherwise in order, the Premier was answering the question and I invite the Premier to conclude his answer if he hasn't already done so.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: As I was saying, the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments of six years delivered not a single new vessel for Australia, not even a commitment. What we have done is push ahead. Only a Liberal government can actually secure defence jobs in this state for decades to come.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The time for answering the question has expired. Before I call the leader, I call to order the Minister for Trade and Investment, I call to order and warn the Minister for Innovation and Skills, I warn the member for Playford and I call to order the member for Ramsay, the member for Lee and the leader.

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