Page 3466 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 2010
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here in the ACT.
The Liberal Party—it might have been Mr Seselja—just said that I had not made any reference to the ALP and their position. I did. I did so yesterday in my speech, but I will say it again. I said that Ms Gillard has made reference to unpopular cutbacks, as well as some specific cutbacks for particular agencies, which also gives rise to a concern that neither the Labor nor Liberal parties really appreciates what the public service means to the ACT.
Mr Seselja: Why do you only focus on one then, Meredith? Is it because you are totally biased, do you think?
MS HUNTER: I just said—and I will say it again for Mr Seselja: he is obviously not listening; I need to say it again—that we have raised the issue around the Labor Party and the unpopular cutbacks that Ms Gillard has referenced. We have talked about those. We have raised those. Of course, this does not fit with your little narrative, does it, Mr Seselja? It is rather unfortunate that you just want to go on the attack rather than listening to what is being put here in the Assembly today. We are concerned about the potential cutbacks to particular agencies and where they might fall as well.
But what we do know—it is quite clearly out there—is that there is a very clear policy from the Liberals with around 12,000 job losses. It has been put out there quite clearly by the Liberal Party. What I am saying here today is that a vote for a Liberal candidate is a vote for the economic havoc they caused to Canberra back in 1996.
Yesterday I talked about the impact of the proposed public service job cuts. I think I should restate that in the context of this debate. Data is available that lists public service employment by electorate. Assuming 12,000 job losses and an even proportion of job losses around the country, this would amount to direct and indirect job losses of—I will list them—3,076 jobs in the electorate of Canberra and 2,652 jobs in the electorate of Fraser. And we live in a region. We know that there are many people who live in Yass, Murrumbateman and Queanbeyan who rely on employment here in the ACT. Not only is this going to affect and impact on the citizens of the ACT; it is going to impact on many of the people who live in our region. Let us go to the electorate of Eden-Monaro—536 job losses. And the electorate of Hume—227 job losses.
Mr Seselja: So the 30,000 is a lie.
Mr Smyth: So 30,000 was the big lie.
Mr Seselja: Lin Hatfield Dodds was lying.
MS HUNTER: These cuts amount to approximately an 80 per cent increase in the unemployment rate in the ACT—
Mr Hanson: You call Lin Hatfield Dodds a liar?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
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