Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question without notice is for the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer to the minister's statement today in which he rejects claims published in The Australian that his staff asked departmental officials to revise up their annual employment projection figures. If this is the case, why did the minister's staff member say:

As previously indicated, the government firmly believes that our one million job target can be met …

How does the minister explain the discrepancy between this statement and this email extract, which clearly shows an attempt to direct departmental officials?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am delighted at the outset to table a statement from the secretary of the Department for Employment who has indicated that the story published in today's Australian was incorrect. Also, what I can indicate is that the journalist concerned, in asking my office about these matters on Friday, was told in a statement that the Department of Employment has confirmed that the allegations made to The Australian are not correct. Despite being told that, the journalist did not seek to check with the department and now the department has in fact issued a statement which concludes with the statement: 'nor did the minister's office ever'—and I stress the word 'ever'—'ask the department to publish them'—'them' being the figures. What is more, the beginning of the sentence is: 'The department offered the minister's office these figures.' So it was at the department's initiative that some figures were prepared, but we never asked for them—they were offered by the department—and we never asked for them to be published. The departmental secretary has made this crystal clear.

Having said that, let there be no doubt that, if the coalition's policies were implemented, many thousands of our fellow Australians would be relieved from the social and economic consequences of being on the unemployment scrap heap. We would invite those opposite to join with us in the task to create more employment opportunities, which the coalition policies so clearly do but which have been so ruthlessly blocked in this chamber by Labor and the Greens.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, I take it you will be able to confirm that your staff member was acting on your directions? Further, if this story in The Australian is so incorrect, will the minister now publicly release all correspondence between his office and the departmental officials about this matter?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I gave active consideration to exactly that course of action—until I was told just before question time that Labor had pre-empted all that by putting in an FOI. I will be abiding by the FOI and the timetable that the Labor Party set themselves.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is not an FOI, Minister; in fact, it is a return to order—and I take it from your statement that you will be complying with it. But why is the government more concerned about manipulating job numbers than providing a real plan for the quality, high-wage jobs that Australians deserve?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is a very sad reflection on the lack of talent on the frontbench of the Labor Party that a senior opposition spokesman cannot draft a new question in response to that. It indicates that he did not listen to the answer. I have already indicated to him that my office denies the allegations and the department denies the allegations. The only person—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senator Abetz is entitled to be heard in silence.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was a very ugly interjection which was basically that Labor do not believe the statements made. That is a terrible reflection on a professional public servant who has issued a statement that is in absolute commitment to that which my office has made as well. (Time expired)