Mr STIRLING - 2000-10-10
Since you became Chief Minister 5700 jobs have disappeared from the Territory labour market up until August this year. That is over 70 jobs per week for each and every week that you have been Chief Minister. The initial promise of 2000 jobs with the railway has now been whittled away to under half that, employment in tourism sector is falling and construction firms are closing down.
How much longer can Territorians afford to have you as their Chief Minister?
ANSWER
When the election comes I will go to Territorians on the record of what has happened during the period of the Burke government, just as the Leader of the Opposition will have to explain to Territorians her record over the period she has been Leader of the Opposition. It will be up to Territorians to decide who leads government into the future.
With regards to what the situation with jobs is in the Northern Territory, we have the second lowest unemployment rate in Australia - not a bad effort. When we had the lowest unemployment rate in Australia the Labor Party totally discounted that, would not accept it, and started running lines that the unemployment rate in the Northern Territory was actually 13%, which totally discounted the fact that ABS figures showed the unemployment rate then in the Northern Territory as the lowest of any jurisdiction in Australia. We have slipped a bit and we acknowledge that. We are now only the second best in Australia. Mea culpa, mea culpa to Territorians! We will do our best to improve that, as I said before, with the gas projects, with the railway projects. I am sure we will achieve that.
How much longer can Territorians afford to have you as their Chief Minister?
ANSWER
When the election comes I will go to Territorians on the record of what has happened during the period of the Burke government, just as the Leader of the Opposition will have to explain to Territorians her record over the period she has been Leader of the Opposition. It will be up to Territorians to decide who leads government into the future.
With regards to what the situation with jobs is in the Northern Territory, we have the second lowest unemployment rate in Australia - not a bad effort. When we had the lowest unemployment rate in Australia the Labor Party totally discounted that, would not accept it, and started running lines that the unemployment rate in the Northern Territory was actually 13%, which totally discounted the fact that ABS figures showed the unemployment rate then in the Northern Territory as the lowest of any jurisdiction in Australia. We have slipped a bit and we acknowledge that. We are now only the second best in Australia. Mea culpa, mea culpa to Territorians! We will do our best to improve that, as I said before, with the gas projects, with the railway projects. I am sure we will achieve that.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016