Mr BONSON - 2001-11-27
Can the minister please advise whether the QuickStart II program is expected to have a good uptake?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. Yes, it was a CLP initiative. I was very pleased to hear that one when it happened, because a lot of people out there were suffering and the then opposition, and now government, fully supported it. I hope that the opposition supports our new initiative, QuickStart II, because this QuickStart II is going to provide work for people who are actually suffering out there, people who are facing a bleak Christmas.
Mr Burke: They will need some jobs first.
Mr VATSKALIS: To go back in history, I had forewarned the member for Brennan, on many occasions, about the plea of the construction industry. I happen to remember the dates, because they are the dates when they turned up to some of the Greek community national days. That was the time they bothered to turn up, because it was a photo opportunity. On 28 October 1999, I forewarned him about it - he didn’t want to know. 25 March 2000, I forewarned him - his answer was: ‘I didn’t tell them to build units, all of them’. That was his concern about the building industry. I find it very hypocritical now for them to speak about the plea of the business industry. There is a problem out there. There was a problem out there, QuickStart II is one way to address it. We are addressing it. We are also aware there is going to be some land released, and the combination of the QuickStart II with the Commonwealth funding initiative will drive people to build new houses. It will, of course, provide the impetus for the construction industry. They will be very happy to hear about that today.
One more thing I wish to comment on is that, during the speech of the President of the Chamber of Commerce during the Economic Development Summit, he said clearly that he wanted the government to address the budget problem. The Chamber of Commerce has identified that there was a problem with the budget. The opposition still refuse to identify this problem.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Millner for his question. Yes, it was a CLP initiative. I was very pleased to hear that one when it happened, because a lot of people out there were suffering and the then opposition, and now government, fully supported it. I hope that the opposition supports our new initiative, QuickStart II, because this QuickStart II is going to provide work for people who are actually suffering out there, people who are facing a bleak Christmas.
Mr Burke: They will need some jobs first.
Mr VATSKALIS: To go back in history, I had forewarned the member for Brennan, on many occasions, about the plea of the construction industry. I happen to remember the dates, because they are the dates when they turned up to some of the Greek community national days. That was the time they bothered to turn up, because it was a photo opportunity. On 28 October 1999, I forewarned him about it - he didn’t want to know. 25 March 2000, I forewarned him - his answer was: ‘I didn’t tell them to build units, all of them’. That was his concern about the building industry. I find it very hypocritical now for them to speak about the plea of the business industry. There is a problem out there. There was a problem out there, QuickStart II is one way to address it. We are addressing it. We are also aware there is going to be some land released, and the combination of the QuickStart II with the Commonwealth funding initiative will drive people to build new houses. It will, of course, provide the impetus for the construction industry. They will be very happy to hear about that today.
One more thing I wish to comment on is that, during the speech of the President of the Chamber of Commerce during the Economic Development Summit, he said clearly that he wanted the government to address the budget problem. The Chamber of Commerce has identified that there was a problem with the budget. The opposition still refuse to identify this problem.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016