Doubts cast on post-Holden jobs target in Northern Economic Plan

A PLANNED target of 15,000 new jobs for the north sounds good but local mayors are confused over how the figure was arrived at — and they want to know where the number was plucked from.

New Ministers sworn in at Goverment House in Adelaide. Kyam Maher

DOUBTS have been cast over the credibility of the State Government’s plan to keep SA’s economy afloat post-Holden amid confusion over who came up with the blueprint’s jobs target.

Automotive Transformation Minister Kyam Maher has told State Parliament the 15,000 jobs target set out in the Northern Economic Plan was created by the Playford, Port Adelaide Enfield and Salisbury mayors and himself.

“There weren’t any consultants involved in coming up with this target,” he said.

“This was an aim that has been put forward by the local mayors and myself.”

However, one mayor claims he learnt of the 15,000 jobs target the night before the plan was launched, another says he found out about the aim after the plan was officially released and the third cannot recall arriving at the jobs target.

Opposition spokesman Rob Lucas says it appears the figure has been “plucked out of the air”, throwing the integrity of the entire plan, which aims to generate jobs to cushion the fallout of the closure of Holden’s Elizabeth plant in 2017, into doubt.

“Clearly this 15,000 job number was not developed as a result of discussions between the three mayors and the minister, as the minister claimed,” he said.

“The minister has also indicated in parliament that (the) Treasury (department) didn’t produce the number and that no outside consultants were employed to produce the number so were left with the burning question — who actually came up with this 15,000 number?

“It cast significant doubt and questions over the credibility of the whole plan.”

Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor Gary Johanson told the Northern Messenger he first heard of the 15,000 jobs target after the plan was launched.

Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor Gary Johanson.

Mr Johnason said he spoke to the minister just before Christmas to implore him to set a jobs target in the plan.

“I didn’t set an actual figure with him,” he said.

“I told him what we’ve got to do now is we’ve got to have some targets to aim for.

“Give us a target and give us something to hang our hat on.”

Mr Johanson said he believed the 15,000 jobs target was achievable but questioned how any jobs aim could be created.

“How do you accurately say it will be 15,000 and not 14,000 or 20,000?” he said.

Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty said he learnt of the 15,000 jobs target when he received the final draft of the plan the evening before it was launched in January.

“Government officials discussed with council staff about aspirational job targets throughout the early stages of the plan,” he said.

Playford Mayor Glenn Docherty.

“I saw the final target set down by the government the day before the plan was launched.”

Salisbury Mayor Gillian Aldridge said she recalled discussing a jobs target during the creation of the plan but was unsure when the 15,000 figure was created.

“I understand that we talked about a job target,” she said.

“I can’t remember at this stage at what stage we made that amount.

“I can’t remember sitting down with the other mayors and saying yes, 15,000 is the target.”

The Northern Messenger asked Automotive Transformation Minister Kyam Maher to explain the conflicting stories and what the jobs target was based on.

“The development of the Northern Economic Plan — including the goal of increasing employment in northern Adelaide by 15,000 to 165,000 by 2025 — was discussed at numerous meetings of the plan’s Implementation Group, which included senior representatives from State Government agencies and the councils,” he said.

Mr Maher refused to provide a breakdown of which sectors or industries these jobs would be created.