House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-02-05 Daily Xml

Contents

GFG Alliance

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (14:38): My question is to the Premier. Has the Premier sought a guarantee from the federal government or the ATO that GFG Alliance are up to date with all of their federal tax and workers' superannuation liabilities?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:38): No, I have not sought a guarantee on behalf of the federal government regarding federal government liabilities with GFG. That is a matter for the federal government. In terms of the—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: The former shadow treasurer interjects—workers, yes, naturally I have been speaking to the workers and the union—unions, I should say—representing them.

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni: So you have inquired if their super is up to date, have you?

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: Well, if you get the right to ask a question, get on your feet and ask a question. I have—

The SPEAKER: The member for Unley is on his final warning. You are the only person to be kicked out all year if you want to make it two days in a row.

Mr Telfer: The Deputy Speaker kicked someone out this morning, sir.

The SPEAKER: Thanks for keeping me across the stats.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I haven't made inquiries regarding the federal government's debts in regard to moneys paid to workers. Yes, I have spoken to workers and also their representatives directly, particularly the AWU. In fact, I had another meeting with the AWU yesterday and then last week I met with an AMWU organiser on the ground in Whyalla. One of the things that is to be noted to GFG's credit, to the extent that an employer deserves credit for this but they are paying their workers' wages, is I have received no advice to suggest that there are any arrears with payments to superannuation funds. That is something I suspect I would have heard about, if it was the case, or certainly would have been advised of by workers representatives. Workers are being paid. In fact, we know that there is also a fair bit of overtime available on site at the moment.

I have heard feedback from many workers at the steelworks itself, particularly workers associated with the blast furnace operations. There is lots of overtime available for workers at the moment, which is ostensibly a good sign because it means that the steelworks is up and running and functioning. But workers are being paid; I'm not aware of any suggestion to the contrary.