Page 3764 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 22 November 2006
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businesses expect to do it again in the next quarter. Those are truly remarkable expressions of confidence in the ACT economy.
The employment performance of survey respondents was again very strong, with the actual results for the September quarter showing a significant rise in employment. Ninety-two per cent of all members of the chamber of commerce surveyed increased staff in the September quarter. Just reflect on that: 92 per cent of all members of the chamber of commerce increased staffing levels in the September quarter and none reduced staff. So 100 per cent increased staff or retained existing staff. On top of that amazing performance of 92 per cent of the members increasing staff, 85 per cent of all members of the chamber of commerce expect to do it again in the December quarter. Just reflect on those achievements. (Time expired.)
MS MacDONALD: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Are there any other signs which demonstrate the ACT government’s commitment to ensuring the continuing strength of the ACT economy?
MR STANHOPE: Certainly. In addition to the survey of the members of the chamber of commerce and the ringing endorsement of the chief executive officer, Chris Peters, of the environment within the Australian Capital Territory reflected in those numbers which I have just reported, all businesses in the ACT surveyed by the chamber experienced stable or improved conditions; all businesses expect stable or improved conditions to continue over the next quarter; 76 per cent of all members of the chamber increased their profits; 83 per cent of all members of the chamber expect to further increase their profits in the next quarter; 92 per cent of all members of the chamber of commerce increased the numbers of staff employed in the last quarter; and 85 per cent expect to increase the numbers of staff in the next quarter.
Those are truly remarkable achievements by the businesses of the ACT. They need to be congratulated for their faith in the territory and for their commitment to continue to invest and to continue to assist the ACT. But there is a range of other external indicators of the extent to which the ACT economy, particularly vis-a-vis others around Australia, is performing so strongly.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics in its October 2006 labour force series reports that ACT unemployment dropped again to 2.6 per cent, the lowest unemployment rate recorded; 2.6 per cent. We have been trending at 2.7 per cent—I have characterised 2.7 per cent as full employment—but in October the ACT dropped from 2.7 per cent to 2.6 per cent as a rate of unemployment—the lowest ever achieved—against the national rate of 4.7 per cent. Our participation rate increased to 74.9 per cent—the highest level of participation ever in the ACT.
Mr Stefaniak: WorkChoices has exceeded expectations, Jon.
MR STANHOPE: In the ACT; is that not interesting? Why has it not exceeded expectations around Australia? We have these way above average numbers in the ACT. The Liberal Party here claim, and beat their breasts, that this is all about WorkChoices. Is the failing in the rest of Australia then a failing of WorkChoices?
Opposition members interjecting—
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