Debt for jobs not working in Maryborough
24th August, 2009
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits through Maryborough’s Centrelink office increased by 119 in July according to new figures, and by 365 since Labor won the Federal election, Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said today.At the time of the election in November 2007, there were 1007 people in Maryborough receiving Centrelink unemployment benefits. That number has now risen to 1372.
“The figures published by the Department for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations for June on the number of people of claiming NewStart and Youth Allowance confirm a worrying trend,” Mr Truss said.
“Sadly, unemployment will rise further in regional areas under Labor’s carbon pollution reduction scheme that will make our industries less competitive and increase costs for households and businesses through new carbon taxes.
“Labor’s award modernisation legislation will also increase labour costs, which acts as a disincentive to employment and will harm industries like hospitality, retailing and agriculture.
“We can ill-afford to lose any more jobs, yet the Bligh Labor Government has threatened the future of Downer EDI Rail by opening up a $2 billion tender to overseas bids,” Mr Truss said.
“Unemployment affects families and local communities. There are people and families in need behind each one of these numbers and they are the human faces of the recession.
“There is a strong relationship between Government policies and employment and so far, Labor’s multi billion dollar stimulus packages have failed to sustain existing jobs, let alone create new jobs.”
The 75,000 and 90,000 jobs that were promised to be created and supported by Government cash giveaways have not materialised and the national unemployment rate has risen to 5.9%. In the Wide Bay Burnett region the unemployment rate is 7.3%.
“The Rudd Labor Government used unemployment as an excuse for plunging the nation into a record $315 billion debt, while Anna Bligh’s Labor Government will blow state debt out to an unprecedented $85 billion, to support her discredited 100,000 new jobs plan.
“It is becoming more obvious that Labor’s debt bomb against unemployment has failed, turning into a time bomb that will tick for a generation, leaving less to spend on hospitals, roads and the environment, as multi-billion dollar interest bills accrue,” Mr Truss said.
“The Labor Government’s stimulus packages have failed to deliver the jobs they promised and taxpayers have been left with a massive debt equivalent to $15,000 for every man, woman and child,” Mr Truss said.
“Labor is the party of debt and taxes, which are the enemy of employment.”
