Jay Weatherill: Out with the old, in with the new — my plan for SA is taking shape
OVER the past five years, the task for my Government has been to deal with the economic challenges facing our state. What do you think - VOTE NOW
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OUR great state has come a long way over the past five years.
Wander through Adelaide and you’ll find a city more vibrant than ever – from Adelaide Oval and the revitalised Riverbank precinct to the excitement of small bars.
Travel around SA and you’ll see a state transforming from an old economy to a new economy.
Our state is embracing the jobs of the future – in defence, advanced manufacturing, renewables, tourism, biomedical research and international education, just to name a few.
Adelaide is regularly a leading city in the world’s most liveable indexes, and unprecedented numbers of visitors and students are travelling here as the list of airlines adding SA to their routes continues to grow and makes us more connected to the world.
Over the past five years, the task for my Government has been to deal with the economic challenges facing our state – including a global economic downturn and the decline of traditional manufacturing.
Many of the old certainties of economic life have gone or are going, and SA needs to plan and work for success, stand up for itself when its economic interests are threatened and be unafraid to take the risks necessary to modernise our economy.
In the past five years, our plan has rested on three key measures:
BUILDING the infrastructure to modernise our economy – our public transport network, Adelaide Oval, the new RAH and the Northern Connector.
STANDING up for SA – leading the campaign to stop the Federal Government building our ships and submarines overseas.
BACKING new industries that drive our global competitiveness – tourism, fine food and wine, international education, biomedical, and renewable energy.
These are success stories, but given the scale of the economic challenge, we need to do more – we know the job is not finished.
We’ll continue to stand up to the Federal Government, just as we did when we fought for the best deal for the River Murray.
We’ll keep supporting those doing it tough, in our regions and suburbs, eliminate barriers that exclude people and help protect our most vulnerable.
And we’ll continue to build our health and education systems through children’s centres and new public hospitals.
In coming years, we’ll see thousands of jobs created by the rollout of the NDIS and the submarines contract.
The next generation of renewable technologies will help make Adelaide the first carbon-neutral city in the world.
And we’re asking the community its views on the establishment of a nuclear waste disposal industry in SA.
Despite the looming closure of Holden, there are signs our plan is starting to deliver.
Over the past year, an extra 10,000 South Australians have jobs.
Retail turnover hit the highest level on record in August and sales growth is outpacing the nation.
The State Budget has returned to surplus for the first time since the global financial crisis and we’re now also the lowest taxing state in Australia for business.
This month SA recorded the highest business confidence in the nation, according to NAB.
We will continue the job of modernising the state’s economy and expanding the possibilities South Australians see for themselves and their families.
Jay Weatherill is Premier of South Australia
Jay’s tough task to avoid being an also-Rann
Premier Jay Weatherill marks five years in the state’s top job tomorrow. Ahead of the anniversary of his toppling of Mike Rann, four prominent South Australians critique his achievements, challenges and to-do list.
Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars, chief executive officer/secretary Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA branch)
Achievements
■ Winning the last election, which appeared to be a foregone victory for the Opposition, and building support from independents.
■ Showing a preparedness to be “out there” in exploring ideas for the future, eg. taxation (GST and Financial Transactions Tax debates), and, while we don’t support this change, the discussion on the nuclear industry in SA.
■ The submarine contract: SA’s campaign for the contract was well led by the Weatherill Government and well articulated across party lines.
Challenges
■ The seeming incapacity to implement and manage change. Transforming Health has become a failing brand for health reform – largely seen and understood as a form of healthcare cuts. We need a clear plan for the development of a sustainable and evidence-based healthcare system that will meet our future needs.
■ The capacity of others in the Government to step up and engage with the community rather than talk to us. There is still a sense that the Government is resistant to listening to others’ ideas and opinions.
■ The state’s economy is fragile with little clear sign about where the future wealth will be drawn from. Federal inaction on the overall taxation system, education and health funding frameworks and industry development makes it very difficult for a small state’s government to set brave new directions.
To-do list
■ Establish a firm and sustainable base for the state’s economic activity in the years ahead.
■ Create a vision and plan for the state’s health system that goes beyond the immediate budgetary constraints and that binds together the hospital networks, primary and community health and the aged-care and disability sectors.
■ Progressive social reforms are needed in areas of equal opportunity (still), education and social inclusion, housing and family supports.
Nigel McBride, Business SA chief executive officer
Achievements
■ In the face of what many thought was an unwinnable election, he brokered deals to secure political power and form a stable government.
■ Has managed to survive major blows as Premier, from child protection to, most recently, the statewide power blackout.
■ Positioned the SA Government very optimally in terms of the submarine contract, right down to visiting Cherbourg and Normandy before any federal minister did.
■ Genuinely raised the level of debate on issues like nuclear waste disposal. It’s unusual for governments to take a long-term view for short-term political risk and pain. In doing that, he’s raised the level of public debate around complex issues.
Challenges
■ His challenge is that, in our view, he hasn’t been able to form a compelling and credible narrative on economic reform for the business and employers sector in the face of a series of brand-damaging failures. These range from Olympic Dam to
the BP withdrawal to the statewide blackout. This is in the face of entrenched high unemployment, very disturbing levels of underemployment, youth unemployment, lack of training options and apprenticeships, regional unemployment and skills issues.
■ We welcome tax reform but he must have his hands firmly on the tiller of the economy. That confidence just isn’t there. That must be his single biggest challenge – to build the confidence in his leadership of our economic future.
To-do list
■ It must be about the economy, jobs, investment and export growth. All of those issues must form a huge to-do list that hasn’t been achieved yet to the extent that we need.
This includes tackling the valley of death in defence, jobs and ongoing power price issues in a highly disrupted economy.
Joe Szakacs, SA Unions secretary
Achievements
■ Extensive public investment in community infrastructure such as Adelaide Oval, the new RAH, the Northern Connector, Darlington upgrade and Torrens to Torrens project.
■ Rebuilding Housing SA stocks to provide decent housing for South Australians.
■ Re-establishing a cooperative and respectful relationship with public sector workers after the damage done by Mike Rann and Kevin Foley.
Challenges
■ Attempting to convince the public that establishing a high-level nuclear dump is a worthwhile investment for the future and not a dud deal for jobs, economics and traditional owners.
■ Grappling with the magnitude of the shock the state will experience due to economic transformation and changing manufacturing, in the shadow of little assistance from the Commonwealth Government.
To-do list
■ Establish effective labour-hire licensing to protect workers from exploitation and legitimate businesses from being undercut by rogue operators.
■ Develop a strategy to address under-employment and unemployment among young South Australians and laws to protect young workers from exploitation.
■ Show that the ALP has clear jobs and industry plans and policies to take to the 2018 election.
Steven Marshall, Opposition Leader
Achievements
■ Agreed to establish a Children’s Commissioner and remove child protection from the Education Department after refusing to for years.
Challenges
■ Closure of Holden and loss of thousands of jobs.
■ Uncertainty regarding the future of Arrium and thousands of jobs.
■ Putting the brakes on massive electricity price increases.
To-do list
■ Deliver the 100,000 jobs the Labor Party promised in 2010 but hasn’t delivered.
■ Deliver the 6000 oil and gas jobs he promised would be created at Gillman.
■ Open the new Royal Adelaide Hospital after massive delays and cost blowouts.
■ Cancel plans to close the Repat and downgrade services at suburban hospitals.
■ Implement the recommendations of the Nyland Royal Commission into child protection.