❓ Opposition questions Treasurer about job losses (South32) and shift from full-time to part-time work, challenging the government's positive assessment of employment figures. Treasurer deflects, citing economic headwinds and comparing WA's performance to other states.
AnsweredQoN 82Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Just prior to asking my question, which is a serious question, I acknowledge the member for Cockburn on a very significant birthday that he is celebrating today. Mr J.H.D. Day : Where is he? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr J.H.D. Day : Where is he? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr J.H.D. Day : Where is he? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Right. Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGOWAN : My question without notice is to the Treasurer. I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
I refer to the Treasurer’s comments on Tuesday about the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics jobs data, when he stated that the government’s jobs’ performance is good. (1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(1) Was the Treasurer aware of South32’s decision to cut 390 jobs in Western Australia before he made his glowing statement to Parliament? (2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(2) Why did the Treasurer claim that the government’s performance was good when those ABS job figures show that underlying the unemployment rate is a transfer of workers from full-time to part-time employment? Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN replied: (1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the question. What I stated, of course, was that, unlike him, I do not jump on each response. Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan : No, you said that this is a good outcome. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Just let me get through the response. Every month when the figures go up the Leader of the Opposition jumps up in front of the cameras and says, “Woe is me”, and then he is quiet when the unemployment rate goes down. Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan : You’ve just lost 400 jobs. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Relative to what we forecast, and I emphasise that there are significant headwinds that this government and this economy are facing. The Leader of the Opposition might not want to recognise it, but we do, and we are doing quite a bit about it. There are significant headwinds. We were always going to shift from construction to production and then we got hit by the worst commodity shock that this state and, indeed, the world has seen in modern times. It is impacting on some of the commodity producers. BHP announced a loss of $7 billion; Rio announced a loss; there was a 99 per cent drop in Woodside’s profit; and South32 is scaling down its workforce. These are real headwinds. You cannot face these headwinds if all you do is sit on the sidelines and whine and whinge like you do. No policies, no ideas—nothing. Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park! Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : What I did point out was that jobs are being created. People are coming out of the mining sector and the engineering sector and they are finding work. Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Mr M. McGowan interjected. The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the Opposition! Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Unemployment is rising, but at 5.9 per cent last month it was the second-lowest figure in the country, despite the headwinds we are facing. On a national average annual basis, our unemployment rate is still the second lowest in the country to New South Wales. Given the headwinds that we face, that is a good result. The Leader of the Opposition might whine and whinge about it, and it is difficult out there, but the economy is creating jobs despite the difficulties it is facing. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Members! Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The reason it is finding those jobs is that the economy is much broader and much more capable of adjusting than you people on the other side whine and whinge about. Point of Order Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : The question was actually about whether the minister was aware of the job cuts before he made his statement, and we are still waiting for that answer. The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
The SPEAKER : Thank you. Have you finished your answer, Treasurer? Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Yes.
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