Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy President. The Premier in Queensland, Campbell Newman, is sacking the workforce in the public service. He has a target of 20,000 jobs to go, and you can really appreciate what that is going to do to the services that people rely upon. That is why, if those opposite ever get into government, we know what they will be doing. Senator Kim Carr pointed out today that the objective of Mr Abbott would be to sack 12,000 public servants, and I am sure that it is only the start to it—12,000 and more to come. The example that has been provided in Queensland is of 20,000 jobs that are going to be terminated and taken off what they call non-front-line employment. Jobs will disappear out of this capital and this country as a result of funding the coalition's $70 billion black hole. That is what they have to do. They will be taking money away from pensioners. They will be sacking public servants right across the countryside should we ever be in the unfortunate situation of getting a coalition government in this house. Once again, all the untruths that have been told by those opposite have been— (Time expired)