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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-10 Daily Xml
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Question Time

THINKER IN RESIDENCE

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:49): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Premier a question regarding comments made by the new Thinker in Residence, Goran Roos.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: Goran Roos is chairman of VTT International, which is the global arm of Finland's Technical Research Centre, and he has been appointed as a Thinker in Residence to South Australia for 2011. I might say I was very disappointed with Mr Roos' comments in the media earlier this week regarding the future of the Holden plant at Elizabeth. The comment, as reported (and I believe it was accurately reported by The Advertiser) was, 'The Industry is not competitive and you have to let it go.' I have no difficulty with a person having a certain view one way or another regarding our motor industry.

However, I must ask why the government has brought over Mr Roos, at taxpayers' expense, including Holden workers' taxpayers' expense, and paying him to make comments which condemn their industry and their jobs. The Holden plant at Elizabeth is a significant employer in the northern suburbs—indeed, the single largest employer, as I understand it—and literally tens of thousands of jobs are indirectly related to that plant's continuing operation. It is a vital part of our state's economy. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why is Mr Roos being paid, I understand, $3,300 a day to effectively run down our automotive industry in the way that he has?

2. Does the government accept that comments such as the ones made by Mr Roos result in Holden workers feeling uncertain about their future, and are unacceptable and a gross misuse of taxpayers' funds?

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for Gambling) (14:51): The Thinker in Residence program has been a very important initiative of this government which has brought to South Australia many important thinkers, innovative academics and experts in their fields to study what they may be able to bring to South Australia that might be useful to the government. I am not familiar with the particular comments that Mr Roos has made, other than by media reports.

The purpose of the Thinker in Residence is to look at issues that might be important in the area in which they have some knowledge. I can certainly assure the council and the honourable member that this government is absolutely 100 per cent committed to the automotive industry in this state. This government and the federal Labor government have done a great deal over many years to help ensure the survival and, indeed, the thriving of the automotive industry. However, we know that it is a challenging industry.

We were all saddened to see Mitsubishi close, but it is a tough industry in which to compete globally. The operation, particularly of General Motors Holden at Elizabeth, has been an absolute leader in the country in terms of industry and producing excellent vehicles, which I am sure many of us enjoy driving. The government is certainly committed to ensuring that the automotive industry thrives and remains an absolutely critical source of employment and economic activity for this state. In relation to the comments by Mr Roos, and any other details that the honourable member was seeking, I will refer them to the Premier or the Minister for Industry and Trade in another place.

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