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2022 ELECTION
Q&A WITH STEVEN MARSHALL PREMIER OF SOUTH AUSTRALI A South Australia has reaped the rewards of successfully managing the health and economic impacts of COVID-19. As Australia and the world opens up, what are your priorities to ensure that businesses in this state can grow and prosper? It’s been almost two years since the COVID-19 pandemic first began and despite the initial fears that our economy could be facing an unprecedented crash, nothing could be further from the truth. My government’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen our economy go from strength to strength, with businesses both small and large enjoying extraordinary demand – particularly in the automotive sector. Under my government South Australia went into 2022 with the lowest unemployment rate in our State’s history, the strongest economic growth in the nation, and is the third most liveable city in the world. It is no wonder that people around the globe are taking notice of South Australia. For the first time in 30 years we have more people moving back to Adelaide than moving away from it – young people realise they can have a fulfilling
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career right here in South Australia. This means your kids will be able to buy a house and have a career here, and it also means more customers and clients for your business. My Government is committed to continuing this trajectory – from investing in our critical industries of the future like defence and space, to attracting global businesses like Amazon and Google, we want to see the South Australian economy as the best place to live and do business in the nation. I also want to ensure that our local businesses, like yours, have the skilled staff you need to grow your bottom line. COVID-19 has been a major disruptor, regularly changing the way we do business in this State. If you are elected as the next Premier, what support, clarity and confidence can automotive businesses expect from your government? I understand that all businesses have had to adjust how they operate in order to keep their staff and customers safe. For the automotive repair sector this has meant extra sanitation practices, limiting face to face interaction with customers, and extra management to ensure your
staff and clients have been able to socially distance. My Government understands how important it is to keep South Australian vehicles running safely, which is why mechanics were classified as an ‘essential service’ and able to operate during lockdowns. I want to thank all of you for doing the right thing – you have kept your staff and customers safe. Currently electric vehicles only make up a very small percentage of sales in South Australia, with varying predictions about how many will be sold and when. How will you help businesses in the automotive industry plan and invest towards this future with confidence? My Government is committed to growing the amount of low emission and electric vehicles in South Australia, but we understand that we need to incentivise buyers in order to stimulate the market. This is why in December my government announced a generous $3,000 subsidy to help drive the take-up of zero and low emission vehicles. This subsidy is available for 7,000 eligible new battery electric and
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