The State Liberals have today used the boarded shops in the main street of Port Adelaide to highlight the Weatherill Labor Government’s profound economic failure and the jobs crisis that is engulfing all of South Australia.
Planet Jay promised a vibrant, optimistic future with 100,000 jobs by February and 6000 jobs at an oil and gas hub at Gillman and a revitalised Port Adelaide.
“The reality is South Australia and Port Adelaide is in the grips of a jobs crisis despite repeated commitments by Labor to restore the economic fortunes of the State and the historic heart of Port Adelaide,” said Shadow Treasurer Rob Lucas.
“The sad reality of life on Planet Jay is that it is full of broken promises and the highest unemployment rate in the nation.
“Two years ago Jay Weatherill promised to run a tram down the main street of Port Adelaide within five years as part of his plans to revitalise the area.
“Today there no tram in sight and not a dollar in the budget’s forward estimates to make it happen.
“We have also had the broken promise of a revitalised Port Adelaide based on the Newport Quays development.
“When Jay Weatherill became Premier South Australia had an unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent, today that unemployment figure is about 8.0 per cent.
“In Western Adelaide unemployment is now running at 8.7%, up from 5.9% just a year ago.
“The fact South Australia had the second lowest rate of unemployment in the country when Jay Weatherill became Premier but now has the worst unemployment rate in the nation illustrates the incompetence of the Weatherill Government.
“State Labor’s high taxing policies have failed to lay the necessary foundations for a diversified modern economy that can effectively compete in the global economy.
“As a consequence of Jay Weatherill’s woeful stewardship of the South Australian economy 8,123 fewer South Australians have a job than when he became Premier.
“Premier Weatherill’s response to South Australia’s job crisis has been to promise jobs and projects that never materialise.”