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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3843 ..

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stanhope, I warn you - for the third day running.

Mr Stanhope: Yes, I have noticed that, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, well if you continue barking interjections you will be warned every day, and eventually you will have to leave here briefly.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, job ads are up more than 7 per cent in the ACT, but down 22 per cent in the rest of Australia on average - predominantly Labor states. Growth in the ACT was double the national average over the last 12 months. Motor vehicle registrations were up 7 per cent. As for tourism, well you could not say that tourism was public sector; it is very private sector. What is the scenario? Over the last 12 months the ACT had Australia's highest average room occupancy for hotels, motels and guest houses, and the biggest percentage increase in takings in Australia - not second, but the largest, Mr Speaker.

Retailing is another important part of our private sector. In the ACT, takings are up 12.5 per cent. That is five times the national average - and we are comparing ourselves with Labor states. Our working age population over the last 12 months is up by 5,000 people, so we are not seeing the exodus from the ACT that those opposite continued to talk about.

We regularly speak in this place about ensuring that we are here to make life better for Canberrans - and we are doing that if nearly 19,000 more of those Canberrans have jobs. And guess what, Mr Speaker. They are actually earning more as well. The average weekly earnings in the ACT over the last 12 months have gone up 10 per cent, compared to 6 per cent in the rest of Australia. Average weekly earnings in the ACT are more than $100 higher than for the rest of Australia.

So more Canberrans have jobs, they are earning more on average, and our private sector growth is not second, third or middle, but is actually the highest in this country - in retail, in tourism and in information technology. Our computer services industry has been the fastest growing by miles over the last 12 months.

When we came to government in 1995 and were re - elected in 1998 we said that what we were here for was to diversify our business base, to create jobs and to improve the lifestyle in this city. I think the statistics say it all. More people have jobs, they earn more, and we are growing faster in retail, tourism and information technology - in fact, in exactly the industries that we set out to increase. I think they are pretty impressive statistics, Mr Speaker. They fly in the face of Mr Quinlan's comments that it is all public sector. Obviously, it is not.

To finish, if Mr Quinlan continues down that line, I am looking forward to the media release that says, "Thank you, Mr Howard, for saving Canberra."

MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, I would like to ask a supplementary question. My question is simply: thank you, Kate Carnell.

Mr Humphries: Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

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