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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (15 May) . . Page.. 1277 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

I would suggest that that is not a particularly good interpretation. What we have is $14m set aside for capital works; and, when we do not spend $14m on capital works, it is $14m worth of jobs - not to mention the work that is not completed. So, we are certainly looking at in the order of 200 jobs lost, Mr Osborne - through you, Mr Speaker.

The issue of jobs also came up in an answer from the Chief Minister yesterday to a question from me about the urban services budget. I had suggested a budget blow-out in one section of $5m. The Chief Minister came into this house later and said that the urban services budget would come in on target. But that did not preclude the possibility, Mr Osborne, of money being taken from the capital works budget in order to fill that hole as well. So, there is a possibility of even more than 200 jobs being lost in Canberra, from a government that says again and again that it is on about jobs. If you are on about jobs, then the best thing to do is to make sure that the capital works are completed.

There is good news on this, Mr Osborne. The committee I chaired recommended that the Government change its approach - on the suggestion, I must say, of the Master Builders Association. We suggested that the Government change its approach and make sure that, when a capital works item cannot be completed, a second priority is given first priority. The good news is that the Government has already publicly indicated that it will support that. So, Mr Osborne, yes, there are significant job losses - and that is unlike the sort of answer you received yesterday.

MR OSBORNE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I want to thank Mr Moore for ensuring - for perhaps the first time in my time here - that I received a full and sincere answer, which is what I have been looking for. Mr Moore, you were in this house yesterday when I asked that very same question of Mr De Domenico. I will just quickly read the last part of it:

Do you agree that this decision of yours to take that money out of capital works could cost the Territory in excess of 200 jobs?

His answer was no. My question to you is: Whom do I believe?

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, we had an interjection a short while ago.

MR SPEAKER: Order! No, that question is out of order. I am sorry; that is totally out of order.

MR MOORE: It will be a very quick answer, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: No; it will not be an answer at all. It is out of order. You cannot ask that sort of question.

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