On 14 November the Chairman of the SA Productivity Commission, Mr Adrian Tembel, delivered the keynote address at the ETSSA Annual Conference. His speech emphasized the importance of economics education, reflecting on how his own high-school economics classes shaped his understanding of unemployment, aggregate demand, and the broader forces influencing his community.
Mr Tembel noted that South Australians should take some confidence from recent growth and employment outcomes, but highlighted that the quality of this growth still falls short of the state’s aspiration to become a high value, high wage economy. He stressed that despite improvements, South Australia continues to lag in innovation and research performance; areas critical for lifting long-term productivity.
He explained the central role of the South Australian Productivity Commission, which provides independent, evidence-based advice to the Premier on how to reshape the economy for stronger growth. He outlined that the Commission’s current view is that bold action is required to address the state’s persistent weaknesses in R&D capability and innovation output.
Mr Tembel proposed that South Australia must adopt a more deliberate economic strategy: building world-class, globally relevant R&D activity and strengthening the skills base needed to support it. At the same time, he argued that the public sector must modernize; delivering high-quality services efficiently with clear performance measurement and transparency.
In this regard, he concluded that government must be willing to be as innovative and reform minded as the private sector. By lifting the ambition and effectiveness of public services, South Australia can generate both economic and social dividends and create the foundation for the high-growth future the state is seeking.