Small Business

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-155965

Hansard session: Fifty-Eighth Parliament, First Session (58-1)

Small Business

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (11:51:02):

My question is directed to the Minister for Jobs and Tourism. The June unemployment rate in New South Wales was 4.4 per cent. That is the highest rate since the pandemic and it is higher than the national rate. Is this Government's abandonment of small business putting New South Wales residents out of work?

Mr STEPHEN KAMPER (RockdaleMinister for Lands and Property, Minister for Multiculturalism, Minister for Sport, and Minister for Jobs and Tourism) (11:51:16):

— I thank the member for Oatley. He is a loyal servant to the Mark Latham regime. It is really great to see him asking a question about jobs and caring about jobs. The members opposite are an absolute disgrace.

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The Minister will resume his seat. The Clerk will stop the clock.

Mr Mark Coure:

Go back to shore.

The SPEAKER:

The member for Oatley knows that is not how to take a point of order.

Mr Mark Coure:

The point of order is 129. The Minister is not answering the question.

The SPEAKER:

The member for Oatley will resume his seat. I place the member for Oatley on three calls to order. If he behaves in that manner again, he will be removed from the Chamber.

Mr STEPHEN KAMPER:

We heard the Premier talk about the impact that holding back workers compensation reform will have on jobs and employment. It was clear as day. The member for Oatley has a hide to even ask a question about jobs. I thought we were going to get a question about diversity. I note the lack of diversity on the front bench in the Liberal Party. The only diverse member they have is the member for Miranda, and they are trying to replace her with a good friend of the member for Oatley.

Mr Adam Crouch:

This is about jobs.

Mr STEPHEN KAMPER:

It has a lot to do with jobs. We are doing lots to do with jobs. We are delivering on housing jobs in the construction industry. Everything we are doing across this Government is pro‑jobs. We are focused on jobs. The problem is that the members opposite are so mesmerised by Mark Latham that they have lost any belief system.

Mr Mark Speakman:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The Minister will resume his seat. I will hear the point of order from the Leader of the Opposition.

Mr Mark Speakman:

My point of order is on direct relevance under Standing Order 129. This Government is so devoid of ideas, its answer to everything is Mark Latham.

The SPEAKER:

The member will resume his seat.

Mr Mark Speakman:

That is their only answer.

The SPEAKER:

The member will resume his seat. I had hoped to uphold the point of order, but the Leader of the Opposition blew it.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

Point of order: Standing Order 131—a clause inserted by the Manager of Opposition Business when he was Leader of the House—states that a member cannot use a point of order for the purposes of either interfering or making a statement.

The SPEAKER:

The Clerk will stop the clock.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

What flows from a breach of the Standing Orders under Standing Order 131 is that the House then becomes completely disorderly.

The SPEAKER:

It does.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

When the Minister was answering the question, that disorder reached a stage that cannot be tolerated. I ask you to bring the House to order.

The SPEAKER:

I thank the Leader of the House. I understand the point of order. However, the Minister's conduct in answering the question exacerbated the situation. I cannot fully assign blame to the Opposition in this case. The member for Oatley offended against Standing Order 131. I gave him fair warning. I give some leeway to the Leader of the Opposition. He was completely out of order, but I uphold the intention of his point of order and I uphold the sentiment expressed by the Leader of the House. The Minister will answer the question.

Mr STEPHEN KAMPER:

The biggest impediment to jobs in this State is the arrangement that the Opposition has with the Hon. Mark Latham. They are mesmerised by him. It is disgraceful. We are doing so much. Whether it is in tourism, construction or housing, we are creating jobs every day with the policy work we are doing. But members opposite are holding us back; that is the problem.

Mr Mark Coure:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The Minister's time has expired.

Mr Mark Coure:

I was on my feet earlier than that.

The SPEAKER:

You were. The time has now expired.

Mr Mark Coure:

I ask for an extension of time.

The SPEAKER:

I appreciate the request for an extension of time. It is under my discretion. As I have done in the past, I decline to grant an additional two minutes or any extension of time to that answer.