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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Wednesday, 11 February 2004) . . Page.. 205 ..

MR QUINLAN: I do not have specific or precise knowledge about the effect that that policy will have on the National Office for the Information Economy. However, I have confidence in the federal Labor Party, and in its new leader, in resetting their priorities. National Labor is refocusing. Those 160 jobs might be lost because of changed priorities but that does not mean that 160 jobs in the public sector will disappear; those jobs will be reallocated.

It is not the intention of federal Labor not to expend the money that will be saved. I hope that the next national government will let us know how it intends to reprioritise and refocus. After listening to question time today I am aware that some members have implied that national Labor is resetting its priorities and that it will focus more on serving the people of Australia. I have great confidence in the ability of national Labor to do so.

MRS CROSS: I thank the minister for his earlier answer. However, I ask a supplementary question. What will the Treasurer do to ensure that the National Office for the Information Economy does not close and that the ACT does not lose 160 jobs?

MR QUINLAN: The member just asked me the same question. As I said earlier, it is not my intention to challenge every national Labor policy pronouncement. I will be talking to my colleagues to ensure that they focus on Canberra as the national capital. Our present Prime Minister does not live in Canberra, CHOGM has been taken away from Canberra and, under the current federal government, Canberra has been treated badly.

Mrs Cross: Point of order: my point of order relates to relevance. This has nothing to do with the question that I asked. I simply asked the Treasurer what he was going to do to keep the National Office for the Information Economy in Canberra and preserve 160 jobs. I did not ask about CHOGM or about where the Prime Minister lives.

MR SPEAKER: It is fair enough for the Treasurer to focus on changes in job numbers that might have occurred as a result of the matters to which he has referred in the context of the supplementary question that has been asked.

MR QUINLAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let me respond, first, to the point of order. I do not intend to give the scripted answer that the member would like. This is not a play and we do not have to follow a script. I inform the member that an energised federal Labor Party is putting out policies that will involve administration and reprioritisation.

Mrs Cross: But will you stick up for Canberra?

MR QUINLAN: All members would have heard Mark Latham state that he would live in Canberra. He will not be some jumped-up resident of Kirribilli House who states, “We have made it.”

Mrs Cross: Point of order: My point of order again relates to relevance. Will the Treasurer state whether or not he will stick up for Canberra?

MR QUINLAN: I have every confidence in federal Labor under prime minister Mark Latham. Canberra will get a greater focus than it got from John Howard, who begrudges living in Canberra.

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