Mr VATSKALIS - 2012-10-31
On the Thursday before the election, on a national televised debate, the Chief Minister guaranteed that no public servants will lose their jobs. Through our Job Watch site we have been told that 84 Territorians’ jobs have been axed either through redundancy or temporary contracts being ceased in the Health Department - your department. Can you confirm this number is correct and, if so, when these positions were lost? What are you doing to fill these positions and why have you changed your priorities from people to profit?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. No frontline worker in the Health Department has lost their job. There are some contracts that have not been renewed, that is true, but that is not a sacking, that is simply not renewing a contract. There is a subtle difference and I am sure the member for Casuarina understands that.
Of course, if the member for Casuarina is so concerned about job losses why did he not say something when his government was racking up debt at a million miles an hour? And the former Treasurer paid scant regard for the jobs of Territorians when she continued to spend, spend, spend ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. Eighty-four people have lost their jobs in the Health department because of your decision.
Mr TOLLNER: That is not true, 84 people have not lost their jobs because of our decision. We would not have to look at these austerity measures at all if the previous government had a little regard for our fiscal position in the Northern Territory. Instead, we had a government that spent like crazy and is now jumping up here bleating because changes have to be made. Shame on the former government! You have sold the farm and now it is our fault for trying to fix things.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Casuarina for his question. No frontline worker in the Health Department has lost their job. There are some contracts that have not been renewed, that is true, but that is not a sacking, that is simply not renewing a contract. There is a subtle difference and I am sure the member for Casuarina understands that.
Of course, if the member for Casuarina is so concerned about job losses why did he not say something when his government was racking up debt at a million miles an hour? And the former Treasurer paid scant regard for the jobs of Territorians when she continued to spend, spend, spend ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. Eighty-four people have lost their jobs in the Health department because of your decision.
Mr TOLLNER: That is not true, 84 people have not lost their jobs because of our decision. We would not have to look at these austerity measures at all if the previous government had a little regard for our fiscal position in the Northern Territory. Instead, we had a government that spent like crazy and is now jumping up here bleating because changes have to be made. Shame on the former government! You have sold the farm and now it is our fault for trying to fix things.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016