❓ Question on WA job creation figures since the McGowan government took office, with the Treasurer highlighting positive trends and criticising the opposition's interpretation of data.
AnsweredQoN 191Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EMPLOYMENT —
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS
191. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Treasurer:
I refer to the more than 35 000 jobs
that have been created in Western Australia since the McGowan Labor government
came to office. Can the Treasurer update the house on what the Australian
Bureau of Statistics' job figures, released today, highlight about this
government's record on unemployment growth; and can the Treasurer
advise the house how that compares with the loss of jobs under the previous
Liberal–National government?
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS
191. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Treasurer:
I refer to the more than 35 000 jobs
that have been created in Western Australia since the McGowan Labor government
came to office. Can the Treasurer update the house on what the Australian
Bureau of Statistics' job figures, released today, highlight about this
government's record on unemployment growth; and can the Treasurer
advise the house how that compares with the loss of jobs under the previous
Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Morley for
that very good question. I have pointed out many times in this place, as the
Premier did a moment ago, the volatility of the monthly jobs data that the ABS
produces. Indeed, I went through it again last night. There will be months when
the unemployment rate goes up, and months when the unemployment rate goes down,
but, fundamentally, we are creating jobs in Western Australia, and that is what
the data is certainly showing. I note with some reflection the hysterical
performance of opposition members last month around one set of figures—one
monthly set of data. They came in here and accused the government of all things
evil as a result of that one month of data.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Based on the
logic of what the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer said last
year, I could claim—but I will not—that we have presided over
the single largest fall in the number of unemployed Western Australians since
records began. I will say that again: if I were to take the logic of the Leader
of the Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—the fact that
we have presided over the single largest drop in the number of unemployed Western
Australians since records began; it is some 14 000 Western Australians. If I adopted
the logic of the Leader of the Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—that
the unemployment rate is now below what it was at the time of the election; it
is now at 5.9 per cent, down from the 6.3 per cent we inherited at the last
election, despite the high participation rate, shadow Treasurer.
Based on the logic of the Leader of
the Opposition last month, I could claim—but I will not—that
this government has presided over the creation of 35 500 Western Australian
jobs since the last election. Based on the logic of the Leader of the
Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—that this government
has presided over a reduction in underemployment from 10.4 per cent to 8.7 per
cent. This is all good news for Western Australians, and I know that this is
tearing up the opposition, because there is only one group in WA that is
desperate for an increase in unemployment, and they all sit on that side of the
house.
Bizarrely, we have had to defend
from attack the fact that the government has set out a jobs target—a
long-range jobs target. We made it long range for the reason that the monthly
data is volatile, and the opposition is furious; it still cannot work out
whether the 150 000 jobs target is too much or too little.
I want to highlight a quote from the
Leader of the Opposition just last night during private members' business.
I want to confirm to all members here that this is one sentence—one
quote. I have not cut it up and put it up, as the Leader of the Opposition's
office likes to do. This is what the Leader of the Opposition said, just last
night, about the 150 000 jobs target —
I always said it was modest. That was
our point —
Point of Order
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : The
Treasurer is reading from uncorrected Hansard .
Mr B.S. WYATT : Words to the
effect of, Mr Speaker. ''I always said it was modest'' —
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I can see
it; it is Hansard , and ''draft'' is written on it.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I can still
quote from it.
The SPEAKER : Careful with
that. Treasurer, you cannot quote but you can paraphrase.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Thank you, Mr
Speaker. As I said, words to the effect of. This is what the former Treasurer,
the Leader of the Opposition, said last night —
Point of Order
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
He is now reading after you just ruled him out.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I am not
reading anything.
The SPEAKER : No, I said that
he can paraphrase. That is what the Clerk said.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : He said that
the budget predicts 200 000 jobs, but the government predicted 150 000.
Point of Order
Mr D.C. NALDER : Mr Speaker, I
seek clarification on your ruling. You are not allowed to read from uncorrected Hansard .
The SPEAKER : No; you are not
allowed to quote. He is paraphrasing. We have made the decision.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Reading is
not paraphrasing.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : It was
modest, the Leader of the Opposition said. It was modest: 150 000 jobs is
modest.
Mr D.C. Nalder : Rules for
some; rules for others.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : The
member for Bateman is clearly challenging your ruling. He just made the statement, ''There's rules for some and rules for others.'' I believe
you should call him to order.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Mr Speaker,
I was referring to Labor, not to you as the Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Did you say
that, member?
Mr D.C. NALDER : I did say
that, to them.
The SPEAKER : We will check Hansard .
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Clearly, this
unemployment rate data is irritating the opposition. After explaining to the
house last night why 150 000 jobs was too modest and too low, he then went on
to say words to the effect of ''By the way, jobs growth is currently 1.3
per cent and the government has to boost it to 1.8 per cent in order to achieve
its target. The government has a lot of work to do.'' That is just one
sentence. In the same sentence, the Leader of the Opposition says that 150 000
is too little, and then before he has even finished his train of thought, it is
not high enough. This is the problem we have. That is why when we face the sort
of volatility we see in the monthly data, we will look at the data, but I will
not do what the Leader of the Opposition wants me to do, which is to claim
record numbers of Western Australians finding jobs. I would like to claim that,
but I will not claim it.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr B.S. WYATT : The fact that
we are now creating jobs in WA highlights the fact—I want to conclude
on this—that in one month, February, the Western Australian economy
created more jobs than it did during the entire four years of the second term
of the Barnett government. I will say that again: in one month, more jobs were
created in Western Australia than during the entire four-year second term of
the Barnett government. We are creating jobs in Western Australia and that is
irritating the opposition no end. We are continuing to be focused on the
creation of jobs to ensure that Western Australians have the sorts of
opportunities the Liberal–National Party saw the destruction of.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I have warned you four times. I call you to order for the first
time.
that very good question. I have pointed out many times in this place, as the
Premier did a moment ago, the volatility of the monthly jobs data that the ABS
produces. Indeed, I went through it again last night. There will be months when
the unemployment rate goes up, and months when the unemployment rate goes down,
but, fundamentally, we are creating jobs in Western Australia, and that is what
the data is certainly showing. I note with some reflection the hysterical
performance of opposition members last month around one set of figures—one
monthly set of data. They came in here and accused the government of all things
evil as a result of that one month of data.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Based on the
logic of what the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Treasurer said last
year, I could claim—but I will not—that we have presided over
the single largest fall in the number of unemployed Western Australians since
records began. I will say that again: if I were to take the logic of the Leader
of the Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—the fact that
we have presided over the single largest drop in the number of unemployed Western
Australians since records began; it is some 14 000 Western Australians. If I adopted
the logic of the Leader of the Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—that
the unemployment rate is now below what it was at the time of the election; it
is now at 5.9 per cent, down from the 6.3 per cent we inherited at the last
election, despite the high participation rate, shadow Treasurer.
Based on the logic of the Leader of
the Opposition last month, I could claim—but I will not—that
this government has presided over the creation of 35 500 Western Australian
jobs since the last election. Based on the logic of the Leader of the
Opposition, I could claim—but I will not—that this government
has presided over a reduction in underemployment from 10.4 per cent to 8.7 per
cent. This is all good news for Western Australians, and I know that this is
tearing up the opposition, because there is only one group in WA that is
desperate for an increase in unemployment, and they all sit on that side of the
house.
Bizarrely, we have had to defend
from attack the fact that the government has set out a jobs target—a
long-range jobs target. We made it long range for the reason that the monthly
data is volatile, and the opposition is furious; it still cannot work out
whether the 150 000 jobs target is too much or too little.
I want to highlight a quote from the
Leader of the Opposition just last night during private members' business.
I want to confirm to all members here that this is one sentence—one
quote. I have not cut it up and put it up, as the Leader of the Opposition's
office likes to do. This is what the Leader of the Opposition said, just last
night, about the 150 000 jobs target —
I always said it was modest. That was
our point —
Point of Order
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : The
Treasurer is reading from uncorrected Hansard .
Mr B.S. WYATT : Words to the
effect of, Mr Speaker. ''I always said it was modest'' —
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I can see
it; it is Hansard , and ''draft'' is written on it.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I can still
quote from it.
The SPEAKER : Careful with
that. Treasurer, you cannot quote but you can paraphrase.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Thank you, Mr
Speaker. As I said, words to the effect of. This is what the former Treasurer,
the Leader of the Opposition, said last night —
Point of Order
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
He is now reading after you just ruled him out.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I am not
reading anything.
The SPEAKER : No, I said that
he can paraphrase. That is what the Clerk said.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : He said that
the budget predicts 200 000 jobs, but the government predicted 150 000.
Point of Order
Mr D.C. NALDER : Mr Speaker, I
seek clarification on your ruling. You are not allowed to read from uncorrected Hansard .
The SPEAKER : No; you are not
allowed to quote. He is paraphrasing. We have made the decision.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Reading is
not paraphrasing.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : It was
modest, the Leader of the Opposition said. It was modest: 150 000 jobs is
modest.
Mr D.C. Nalder : Rules for
some; rules for others.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : The
member for Bateman is clearly challenging your ruling. He just made the statement, ''There's rules for some and rules for others.'' I believe
you should call him to order.
Mr D.C. NALDER : Mr Speaker,
I was referring to Labor, not to you as the Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Did you say
that, member?
Mr D.C. NALDER : I did say
that, to them.
The SPEAKER : We will check Hansard .
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Clearly, this
unemployment rate data is irritating the opposition. After explaining to the
house last night why 150 000 jobs was too modest and too low, he then went on
to say words to the effect of ''By the way, jobs growth is currently 1.3
per cent and the government has to boost it to 1.8 per cent in order to achieve
its target. The government has a lot of work to do.'' That is just one
sentence. In the same sentence, the Leader of the Opposition says that 150 000
is too little, and then before he has even finished his train of thought, it is
not high enough. This is the problem we have. That is why when we face the sort
of volatility we see in the monthly data, we will look at the data, but I will
not do what the Leader of the Opposition wants me to do, which is to claim
record numbers of Western Australians finding jobs. I would like to claim that,
but I will not claim it.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr B.S. WYATT : The fact that
we are now creating jobs in WA highlights the fact—I want to conclude
on this—that in one month, February, the Western Australian economy
created more jobs than it did during the entire four years of the second term
of the Barnett government. I will say that again: in one month, more jobs were
created in Western Australia than during the entire four-year second term of
the Barnett government. We are creating jobs in Western Australia and that is
irritating the opposition no end. We are continuing to be focused on the
creation of jobs to ensure that Western Australians have the sorts of
opportunities the Liberal–National Party saw the destruction of.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I have warned you four times. I call you to order for the first
time.
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