Mr STIRLING - 1996-08-22
On 23 February this year, under a heading `Jobs claim denied', the Chief Minister hit out at claims by federal Labor member Warren Snowdon that 10 000 public servant jobs would be in jeopardy under a Coalition government. It is now confirmed in the budget papers that 10 500 jobs are to go in the first 12 months of his Canberra colleagues' federal government. Will the Chief Minister apologise for misleading Territorians in February and will he take this opportunity to apologise in particular to those Territorians who will lose their jobs as a direct result of his Canberra colleagues' budget?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, if I recall the article - and I am testing my memory - the figure related to the whole of Australia. In their usual style, members opposite were putting it around that this was all to do with the Territory.
Mr Bailey: Do not mislead us.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
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Mr STONE: The member for Nhulunbuy seeks to continue the misinformation and the myth by encouraging me to apologise to Territorians. He tries to give the impression that some 10 500 jobs are to be lost from the Territory. That is clearly not the case.
I understand that this has been a difficult 2 weeks for members of the opposition. I understand that they have had to contend with one of the best Territory budgets that has ever been delivered. It is a budget that will generate jobs in the Territory. In the second week, they had the second whammy: a federal budget that has been described universally by commentators around Australia as being fair. Members opposite are involved in a campaign of fear and loathing, and they are trying to create uncertainty in the community about this in the same way that the member for Wanguri has been doing in relation to Fire Service charges.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, if I recall the article - and I am testing my memory - the figure related to the whole of Australia. In their usual style, members opposite were putting it around that this was all to do with the Territory.
Mr Bailey: Do not mislead us.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Page 1549
Mr STONE: The member for Nhulunbuy seeks to continue the misinformation and the myth by encouraging me to apologise to Territorians. He tries to give the impression that some 10 500 jobs are to be lost from the Territory. That is clearly not the case.
I understand that this has been a difficult 2 weeks for members of the opposition. I understand that they have had to contend with one of the best Territory budgets that has ever been delivered. It is a budget that will generate jobs in the Territory. In the second week, they had the second whammy: a federal budget that has been described universally by commentators around Australia as being fair. Members opposite are involved in a campaign of fear and loathing, and they are trying to create uncertainty in the community about this in the same way that the member for Wanguri has been doing in relation to Fire Service charges.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016