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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-03-22 Daily Xml
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Unemployment Figures

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:40): My question is directed to the Leader of the Government. Will the minister and the Weatherill government now finally admit that after 14 years in government they must accept, at the very least, some responsibility for the 7.7 per cent unemployment rate in South Australia?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for his question, his interest in this area and his repetition of his leader's question from earlier on. It is a display of how disunited they are that we get exactly the same question as the first question and the third question.

South Australia is facing some very significant challenges. We are, like Western Australia and Queensland, facing the effects of a massive slashing of world commodity prices that has had a significant impact on the South Australian economy. We have also faced, as Victoria is facing, a very changed environment in our manufacturing. We have talked about this, about why this is, and about the withdrawal of modest support, by world comparison, for the automotive industry of the Hon. Rob Lucas' Liberal mates in Canberra.

We are, in response, doing a number of things, doing a large number of things. I will inform the Hon. Rob Lucas once again of some of the things we are doing. We have a plan, a very comprehensive plan, for the South Australian economy. Some time ago, we set down 10 economic priorities to transition this state from some of these old economic activities to some of the newer ones.

The 10 priorities include: unlocking our resources, energy and renewables sector; premium food and wine exported to the world; a global leader in health and ageing research; the knowledge state, attracting students and commercialising of our research; a destination of choice for travellers; growth through innovation; the best place to do business; Adelaide, the heart of a vibrant state; international connections and engagement; and access to capital global markets for small business.

In many of these areas there are numerous policies that go towards meeting those aims. Overall snapshots of these targets that were set down in 2014 show that 25 of these objectives in 2015 have been met and 24 are on track. These objectives are bold objectives. We have put in place targets to meet these objectives. In addition, we have our jobs plan that, in particular, supports the automotive manufacturing sector to transition to a new economy and to diversify what people and businesses in the automotive sector have done.

We are putting plans in place. I will not go through it again, but it stands in very stark contrast to the plan that the Hon. Rob Lucas seems to be so proud of. Their plan, their Marshall plan for 2036, can be summed up by the phrase, 'It would be good if we did better stuff.'

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