Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to express my concern about this government's lack of action when it comes to jobs, especially in my home state of South Australia. We heard the Treasurer get up and say, 'There is more to be done.' Well, yes, there is more to be done!

With 800,000 people unemployed, this government chasing the car industry out of South Australia and now failing to commit to proper shipbuilding in South Australia and with 7.9 per cent unemployment in South Australia, what we have from this government is a whole lot of hollow words. The Prime Minister comes to South Australia and says hollow words to the people of South Australia. Today in TheAdvertiser the truth has come out. The government is not going to be spending $89 billion. Indeed, it looks like the amount it is going to spend is $8 billion. Already 200-plus jobs have been lost from ASC. It is time that this government got real and stopped making hollow promises about jobs to South Australia and start acting.

Of course, we have seen from this government no support for the car industry. Indeed, they want to get rid of support when it comes to component manufacturing—and there are many component manufacturers in my electorate. The components manufacturers need support to transition. Even Nick Minchin, one of the most conservative advocates on that side of the parliament when he was here, is pro support for the car industry. Why won't this Prime Minister stand up for jobs in South Australia, rather than just walking away from our state?