Mr STIRLING - 1998-08-20
During last year’s election campaign, the Country Liberal Party predicted that the Territory work force would grow by over 300 jobs per month. The Country Liberal Party administration’s own monthly economic review reports that employment fell by 1100 in the month of June alone. Will the minister explain the loss of 1100 full-time jobs in a month, at the height of the tourist season?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, opposition members would shoot Santa Claus if they saw him coming up the road. They would not recognise, of course, that we have the lowest unemployment rate in the country and that we have the best opportunities ...
Mr Stirling: Eleven hundred people lost their jobs and left town the next day. They did not stick around.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Calm down, Syd. If you do not take it easy, you will need medication.
The fact is that we have the lowest unemployment rate in the country. If so many people are leaving – if indeed 1100 people left the Territory in one month – how can we have the highest population growth in the country? Population growth is at 2.2%. We have had that favourable statistic for the last number of years. We have the highest population growth in the country. We have the best employment opportunities. We have the lowest unemployment rate.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again, the minister was asked a specific question about 1100 jobs that were lost in June. He should answer it.
Madam SPEAKER: I think the minister is answering it. Continue, minister.
Mr REED: It is a shame that the answer does not get through to members opposite. The Territory is recognised as having the strongest economy in the country. It is not merely recognised, it is proved statistically, not by us, but by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is classical behaviour of the member opposite that, if there is an hour in a year, a week, a month or a day where there is a bad statistic, they will use it to criticise the performance of the Territory government.
Notwithstanding the opposition to the passage of the legislation yesterday, we will see that the Native Title Act will get rid of the inhibitions to issuing title to land, allowing companies to develop and create more jobs. If opposition members are worried about jobs, why do they not support the native title amendments? Why not get those restrictions out of the way? It was that legislation that was holding up LNG plants, aquaculture developments and residential development in Alice Springs. They are the job generators, and that was the legislation that opposition members were stopping from passing through this House, or at least attempting to stop. They have argued against it for the past 4 years. Now that restriction is to be removed, we will see even more job growth, more economic growth, more population growth and great opportunities for young Territorians. What is it that they do not like about success?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, opposition members would shoot Santa Claus if they saw him coming up the road. They would not recognise, of course, that we have the lowest unemployment rate in the country and that we have the best opportunities ...
Mr Stirling: Eleven hundred people lost their jobs and left town the next day. They did not stick around.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Calm down, Syd. If you do not take it easy, you will need medication.
The fact is that we have the lowest unemployment rate in the country. If so many people are leaving – if indeed 1100 people left the Territory in one month – how can we have the highest population growth in the country? Population growth is at 2.2%. We have had that favourable statistic for the last number of years. We have the highest population growth in the country. We have the best employment opportunities. We have the lowest unemployment rate.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Again, the minister was asked a specific question about 1100 jobs that were lost in June. He should answer it.
Madam SPEAKER: I think the minister is answering it. Continue, minister.
Mr REED: It is a shame that the answer does not get through to members opposite. The Territory is recognised as having the strongest economy in the country. It is not merely recognised, it is proved statistically, not by us, but by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is classical behaviour of the member opposite that, if there is an hour in a year, a week, a month or a day where there is a bad statistic, they will use it to criticise the performance of the Territory government.
Notwithstanding the opposition to the passage of the legislation yesterday, we will see that the Native Title Act will get rid of the inhibitions to issuing title to land, allowing companies to develop and create more jobs. If opposition members are worried about jobs, why do they not support the native title amendments? Why not get those restrictions out of the way? It was that legislation that was holding up LNG plants, aquaculture developments and residential development in Alice Springs. They are the job generators, and that was the legislation that opposition members were stopping from passing through this House, or at least attempting to stop. They have argued against it for the past 4 years. Now that restriction is to be removed, we will see even more job growth, more economic growth, more population growth and great opportunities for young Territorians. What is it that they do not like about success?
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016