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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (5 June) . . Page.. 1925 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

a degree. We need in this discussion to be prepared to look at those deeper and harder questions.

We have had a good opportunity today to talk about this issue. I hope that we will see some steps being taken to address not only drink spiking but also, through the substance abuse task force, the broader issues around the abuse of alcohol and other substances. Also, I hope that we will see in the coming budget from the government an attempt to deal with some of the real problems we have with making adequate intervention available for, particularly, troubled families.

MS GALLAGHER (12.17), in reply: I thank members for their support and contribution to the debate on this motion.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Sitting suspended from 12.18 to 2.30 pm.

Questions without notice

Employment rates

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister, or at least I think it is to the Chief Minister. The government does not have a minister designated as minister for employment, so if the Chief Minister believes he is the minister for employment, then I suppose he can be the minister-

Mr Stanhope: We have a Minister for Industrial Relations.

MR HUMPHRIES: All right, in that case I will address my question to the Minister for Industrial Relations, Mr Corbell. Minister, after the recent Commonwealth budget, comments were made in a press release by the ACT Treasurer to this effect:

It is expected that there will be increases [in Commonwealth employment] in the Australian Federal Police, the Taxation Office and Defence.

However, this result is slightly tempered by a reduction in the Attorney General's Department and the Australian Bureau of Statistics-both departments operate primarily out of Canberra.

The Commonwealth budget papers show that employment is estimated to increase by around 3,380 people during 2002-2003. As many of these people will be employed in the Tax Office, the Federal Police, Defence and CSIRO, among other agencies, do you agree that the net employment effect of the federal budget on Canberra will be job growth, not job decline?

MR QUINLAN: Seeing as you are talking about the federal budget, and my comments on the federal budget, I reckon I might be the appropriate minister to answer this.

Mr Humphries: I am glad you sorted that one out.

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