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Canberra Times . . Page.. 384 ..

However, the question of the site at Phillip, which the previous Government had also at least tendered for at one stage, is off the agenda at this stage. In our view, that is not a site that deserves to go to this process at this point. We will have the opportunity now of seeing what level of competition is engendered by this policy which Mr Connolly very much left in place, at least to the extent of three sites in the Territory. I maintain now, as I maintained at the time that this debate happened before, that that would not produce significant changes in the ACT marketplace; and, if it did, it would produce them at the expense of existing ACT businesses. This would be a great tragedy, if it occurred. However, it is the case that this Government will be making sure that it does its best, within the limits of fairness and decency, to bring down and keep down petrol prices in the ACT.

Employment Predictions

MS FOLLETT: I direct a question to the Chief Minister. Mrs Carnell, the tourism strategy actually says that there will be jobs growth over the next eight years of 20,000 jobs, with a one-for-one flow-on into the rest of the economy. That is a total of 40,000 jobs. That is in the document released by Mr De Domenico. By my figuring, that gives you 5,000 new jobs each year. You were quoted in the Canberra Times on 18 April as predicting a growth in employment of 1.5 per cent, or 2,300 jobs a year. Given these facts, I would ask, Chief Minister: Do you propose to sack 2,700 public servants every year for the next eight years, or is the private sector in all areas other than tourism to shed 2,700 jobs a year? Is that because of your Government's failure to manage the ACT budget and to encourage growth in the ACT economy?

Mr Humphries: We have been here for only two months.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Order, from the Government benches. Let the Chief Minister respond.

MRS CARNELL: The 1.5 per cent figure was the projected figure by Treasury if no policies of the previous Government were changed. That was what was going to happen if the previous Government had stayed in office and had continued its policy direction. It is certainly not the figure now that we are in power and have policies that actually encourage business, encourage tourism and encourage people to employ.

Visiting Medical Officers - Contracts

MR CONNOLLY: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to Mrs Carnell as Minister for Health and Community Care. I am wanting to know, as we have asked before: As of today, how many of Canberra's visiting medical officers have signed contracts with the Government? How many of these represent changes from fee-to-service to sessional contracts? I ask again, as I have asked repeatedly: Will you table in the Assembly a justification or reconciliation of the cost under the pre-existing contractual arrangements and your claimed savings? Will you actually produce some facts to back your rhetoric?

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