Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Wong. What is the government doing to support Queenslanders who have lost their jobs following the decision of that state government to cut 14,000 public sector jobs?

Senator Abetz interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unlike Senator Abetz, we do not think 14,000 job losses in Queensland is a laughing matter. I welcome the release today by Minister Shorten and Minister Ellis of a package that will provide help for Queensland workers sacked by the Newman government—the Premier who told Queenslanders that the public service had nothing to fear from him. Oh, how that changed so quickly! The government is rolling out immediate and targeted support in Queensland in the wake of the decision of the state LNP to axe 14,000 public sector jobs, contrary to what they told Queenslanders prior to the election. The package that was announced today by Ministers Shorten and Ellis is aimed at helping workers find new jobs and to minimise the flow-on impacts to non-government organisations that will no longer have access to state government funding to deliver services in Queensland.

This government is providing targeted additional assistance to those affected by the savage cuts in Queensland because we do not believe you should just abandon working people. Unlike those opposite, we have been focused on job creation. Since we came to government, over 800,000 jobs have been created in this country. The only people who are not happy about that are those opposite, who I hear are very quiet now. You only hear them when they want to talk down the Australian economy because they do not actually want to back the Australian economy, Australian jobs and Australian workers. The position is this: on this side we support jobs; those on the other side support job cuts.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise why it was necessary for the government to provide the assistance package announced today for Queensland workers and was there an alternative approach that the government could have taken?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason the government had to act was due to the cuts made to jobs and to services by the Newman government. The alternative approach that was open to the Newman government was to make responsible savings and also perhaps to be upfront with Queenslanders about what their plans were prior to the election. We do know the sort of economic thinking that was behind Premier Newman's approach, and it is shared by those opposite. We know that Senator Joyce, for example, is on the record as saying he backs Premier Newman 100 per cent—backs the Premier 100 per cent as he sacks public servants in Queensland, contrary to what the Premier told people prior to the election. We also know this is the same approach that Mr Tony Abbott, should he ever win government, wants to take. (Time expired)

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. What support, if any, has the minister seen for the government's announcement of immediate support for Queensland workers and how does this compare to support for the decision of the Queensland government to cut those 14,000 jobs?

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When we are ready on both sides, we will proceed.

Honourable senators interjecting—

We are chewing up question time with quite wrong behaviour on both sides. You know interjections are disorderly. If you wish to debate, the time is after question time.

Honourable senators interjecting—

If this is the way you wish to continue with question time, on both sides, we will just wait until there is silence.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All we have seen from the other side, in the face of cuts to jobs, to nurses, to doctors, to firefighters, to roads, to transport, to palliative care and even to Vinnies, is cheerleading—cheerleading the Queensland government as they make these cuts. What do we hear from Senator Joyce, the great defender of working people?

Well, I back Campbell up 100 per cent.

This the same Senator Joyce whom a senior Liberal was describing today as an 'economic illiterate'.

What else have we heard? We have heard Mr Hockey saying things such as, 'More strength to his arm,' when he is talking about Premier Newman. As Premier Newman said, Tony Abbott is:

… very understanding … he and people like Joe Hockey have been incredibly supportive.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You need to refer to people in the other place by their correct titles.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am actually directly quoting, Mr President, but I am happy to say, 'Mr Abbott is very understanding,' and 'He and people like Mr Hockey have been incredibly supportive when it comes to job cuts.' (Time expired)