Page 1788 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 8 May 2013
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MR BARR: Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I was saying, employment in the territory has increased. We have record levels of employment. If the suggestion is that the commonwealth public sector has contracted then it would be hard to reconcile how we could have achieved such levels of employment growth. I know the ACT government is not responsible for that level of employment growth. The data would tend to suggest that the private sector alone and some areas making a modest contribution to increased employment are not making a one per cent contribution to increased employment.
It would appear that all three sectors, the ACT government, the commonwealth government and the private sector have contributed to employment growth in the territory in recent times. What has happened, though, is that our population rate has been growing at two per cent per annum and our employment growth at one, hence the slide up in unemployment in recent times.
That said, the territory government anticipated no employment growth. So it has been pleasing to see that in this fiscal year to date we have actually seen employment growth in the territory. That is testimony to the strength of the ACT economy, but that certainly would be at risk if 20,000 jobs in Canberra were cut should there be a change of government in September. That is the issue that this community confronts and that is the issue that this Assembly confronts today.
The amendment that Mr Rattenbury moves puts in place what you would think would be a reasonable approach, to seek information from the opposition leader as to his intentions for the Australian public service, including any current plans to relocate departments, agencies or other Canberra-based entities outside of the ACT. If Mr Smyth cannot today express the Assembly’s support for the ACT retaining its role as the home of Australia’s national institutions and the Australian public service then let him get up in 20 seconds, because he has been full of interjections for the last 10 minutes. Have the guts, Mr Smyth, to get up and support this.
Mr Smyth: Have the guts to write to the Prime Minister. Write to the Prime Minister, you goose.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Smyth!
MR BARR: The Prime Minister has already given the commitment, Mr Smyth. We do not need to; it has already been given.
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, Mr Smyth!
MR BARR: Your side of politics is the side that needs to give this commitment. You can do it in two seconds. But here comes the senator. (Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: Before I call Mr Seselja, Mr Smyth, I have asked you to cease interjection. If you interject again, I shall warn you. Mr Seselja.
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