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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-03-24 Daily Xml
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Coronavirus

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (15:19): Supplementary arising from the original answer: as we move to further community restrictions, as highlighted by the Treasurer, can the Treasurer break down what of the $350 million, or the future package, will go into the back pockets of South Australians and households?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:19): No, I can't give a simple answer to that. Let me give the simple example of essential maintenance in country hospitals. We would hope to see a lot of that go into the back pockets of South Australian tradies in country communities. That is work that they might not have had, but we can bring forward essential maintenance, whether it be painting, plumbing or electrical work, or whatever it is. Otherwise, they might not have had jobs and they might not have had money in their back pockets to feed both themselves and their families. Through that essential work and contract, they will have money in their back pockets.

It is not, from our viewpoint, a simple issue. The commonwealth government has, for example, virtually doubled the unemployment benefit or the Newstart Allowance, whatever the new title is for that particular benefit. That is money directly provided, and they have also provided money by way of one-off grants to individuals. They have provided very significant lumps of money.

Of course, because they have much deeper pockets—as I said, $20 billion and $66 billion that they are able to spend in the first two packages and they are looking at a third package, so we understand—they have the capacity to do that, but I don't think we should downplay the significance of what we in the state and regional governments can do. We can do some lifting in relation to providing direct cash benefits to certain South Australians.

What we are going to do, for example, from 1 July this year, when we will still be in the middle of a coronavirus pandemic, is offer a very significant reduction in water prices in South Australia. That will mean South Australian families will have more money in their back pockets, to use the honourable member's phrase, because their water bills will be significantly lower from 1 July.

So, yes, we can and will do some issues there, but I don't think we should downplay the significance of being able to provide contracts and jobs to tradies and others in certain areas when otherwise they might not be getting that economic stimulus and support, and providing funding for them.

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