Page 3575 - Week 11 - Thursday, 23 October 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: Order! I cannot hear. If members who have voices much stronger than Ms Berry’s interject, I am going to have to get her to repeat what she says. Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, one of the measures of wellbeing in the OECD report was jobs. What action is the government taking to boost job growth in the territory?
MR BARR: Jobs will always be at the heart of what the government is about. The OECD ranking acknowledges the strength of our jobs market—10 new jobs every day for 10 years. That is our record and that is what we will continue to focus on. It is the work of this government and our support for jobs that has enabled the ACT to rate so well.
We have had two significant shocks to our economy: the election of the Liberal Party federally and the global financial crisis. Instead of sitting back and allowing our community to suffer, as those opposite get very agitated about whilst their colleagues go about decimating our economy, this government and the Labor Party have acted proactively to ensure that our economy continues to produce jobs whilst the Liberal Party cuts them. At least this economy is continuing to produce jobs, and we are seeing that in the latest jobs figures. We are seeing that the rest of the economy continues to produce jobs while those opposite descend into a rabble trying to defend their federal colleagues’ disdain for this city.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Treasurer, why didn’t you bother mentioning the rates increase when you provided your answer on your tax reform?
MR BARR: Because rates are the most efficient form of taxation that government at this level can levy. To enhance our city’s productivity and to ensure that the deadweight loss of inefficient taxation is removed, we are abolishing stamp duty, we are abolishing tax on insurance and we are cutting payroll tax. They are the worst taxes we levy, and we are transitioning to the most efficient tax that we have available to us—that is, municipal rates. That transition is endorsed by every economist in the Western world—a move away from inefficient transaction taxes and a move to broad-based land taxes. That is good economic policy. It is a great pity that those opposite are such economic ignoramuses that they are not prepared to embrace sensible tax reform.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Dr Bourke, you have the floor.
DR BOURKE: I was just waiting for the noise to calm down, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: I understand that entirely.
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