Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-06-02 Daily Xml

Contents

Return to Work Scheme

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Industrial Relations regarding the Return to Work scheme.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: The CFMEU has claimed that:

The Malinauskas Government's plan directly breaks its promise to injured workers before the election. The South Australian Labor platform 2022 released in October 2021 contained a firm commitment against placing injured workers and their families into poverty.

My questions to the minister are:

1. Is the Malinauskas government breaking the commitment it gave to the CFMEU and injured workers before the March election?

2. How many other election commitments does the minister expect his government to break before the end of the term?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for her question. It is extraordinary that the Liberal opposition would be thinking this is an issue on which they could play politics.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The Summerfield decision was handed down in 2019.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: There has been three years for the former Treasurer to make a decision.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: Not just that, but the former Treasurer said publicly that the next parliament is going to have to make a decision on this, knowing and admitting that he squibbed making any sort of decision. He squibbed making any sort of decision. These are not easy decisions, but at the end of the day—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wade!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —at the end of the day a scheme that is not viable—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —a scheme that is unfinancial can't help anyone, including injured workers.