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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-03-24 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Career and Workforce Development Centre

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:55): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Automotive Transformation a question about the new automotive transformation centre at Warradale.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: Recently the government announced that it has established a new centre at Warradale to deliver the career transition services for workers affected by the closures of the car making industry. The Career and Workforce Development Centre, which is close to Westfield Marion and public transport routes, will deliver key aspects of the state government's $7.3 million Automotive Workers in Transition program. This press release/article goes on to say that the centre's services will include information sessions, career advice, transition services, skills recognition, computer and ICT training, research and personal development. Forums, workshops and opportunities to hear guest speakers from leading industry groups will provide workers and their families with the chance to engage and be supported as they transition to new careers.

It is interesting to note that this new centre is in a very prominent location—corner of Morphett and Sturt Roads—which happened, incidentally, to be the campaign office of the successful Liberal candidate for the seat of Mitchell, Mr Corey Wingard. I was there yesterday and had a chance to have a look at the office and I have some photos on my iPhone. It has certainly been well decked out and appears to be completely refurbished with new signage. I am advised that it is all new furniture and all new IT equipment, etc. which has been installed in that office. My questions to the minister are:

1. What is the annual rent for this particular office?

2. What is the term of the lease that has been signed by the government for its automotive transformation centre at Warradale?

3. How many employees are working in that particular facility?

4. Do the employees include the former member for Mitchell, Mr Alan Sibbons?

5. What were the establishment costs for this particular office, including all the rent, the fit-out, etc.?

6. What are the annual budgeted costs for that particular centre, including wages and any motor vehicles that may well be part of that particular operation?

7. Since it has been opened, how many clients have visited the centre?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:58): I thank the honourable member for his very important question about what is happening in South Australia as a result of automotive manufacturing ceasing in South Australia, and I note that there is a very good reason that we are having to tackle these problems.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Let the minister answer the way he sees fit. Let him do it in silence.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Listen! The honourable minister has been asked a question. He will get up and answer that question how he sees fit and he will do it in silence. Minister.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: How can he answer in silence?

The PRESIDENT: No, your silence.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the President for his guidance. I always welcome advice on how to do things from the Hon. David Ridgway, given his years of ministerial experience and understanding of how to do these things. I do note that if you exclude the Hon. Rob Lucas then the Hon. Robert Brokenshire has more ministerial experience than the rest of the Liberal Party put together, but that is—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Answer the question.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: And I appreciate his further guidance on this matter, and I do note the reason we are having to put these things in place is because his party, his federal party, chased Holden out of South Australia. I have made this point before and I am happy to continue to make this point again; however, on specifically what he has—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! It surprises me that members on my right are actually joining in with the rabble on my left when the honourable minister is trying to answer the question. Allow the minister to answer the question in silence from you. Honourable minister.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: In relation to the centre at Warradale, I can confirm it was opened recently, and I appreciated the support of a couple of the Hon. David Ridgway's colleagues, the member for Bright and the member for Mitchell, who were both there at the opening. I appreciated them being there, and look forward to a constructive working relationship with them as local members who are going to feel some effect from the closure of the automotive industry, as there are still significant supply chain companies in the southern suburbs that will feel the effect of the federal Liberals having chased Holden out of the country. The new centre at Warradale has been established to deliver five key elements of the Automotive Transformation Taskforce's Automotive Workers in Transition Program support package.

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins, please.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable hipster John Dawkins for his guidance, as well, in how to answer questions. The Career and Workforce Development Centre will deliver a number of functions from the Our Jobs Plan. It will support automotive workers to secure alternative employment in new, emerging sectors through retraining and employment support services and through counselling and other services, and it will help address some of the uncertainty created with Holden ceasing production and the supply chain also ceasing production.

The centre's services will include support packages—and I thank the Hon. David Ridgway for his glowing endorsement of the centre and the various services they will provide in his question—and there will be forums and workshops that will provide opportunities for automotive workers to hear from guest speakers. It will also provide a whole range of skills and training, including ICT training.

On very specific questions such as how much the rent is per square metre, and the other questions the honourable member has asked, I do not have all that information with me but I am happy to find those answers and bring back a reply.

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