5 July 2013

We'll all be rooned says Smyth

| johnboy
Join the conversation
3

The Liberals’ Brendan Smyth is piping up about the deep freeze Canberra business is going into while we find out which gang of hooligans will be getting their portraits painted:

ACT Shadow Treasurer, Brendan Smyth, has expressed his concerns in light of the release of the latest SENSIS Business Index findings on the ACT.

“This is an alarming result for the ACT economy, as it shows quite clearly that the Federal Labor Government’s leadership instability and chaos are having a negative impact on our city,” Mr Smyth said today.

“The matter is made worse by this ACT Government’s 12-year failure on diversifying our economy, and their unaccountable programs that fail to address what ACT businesses need most.

“Andrew Barr and the ACT Government have been running countless scare campaigns on the prospects of a Federal Coalition Government. However, today’s SENSIS findings show that the negative impact from Federal Labor is hitting Canberrans right now,” Mr Smyth concluded.

As opposed to what the mass sackings will do when his mob get the run of the place.

Happy days.


UPDATE: Andrew Barr’s office has provided this response:

Brendan Smyth isn’t providing the full picture.

Here’s the opening of the Sensis report:
ACT small to medium businesses (SMBs) reported an increase in employment and wages in the past quarter …

And just in case anyone was in doubt about the cause for the pessimism, the following are direct quotes from an ANZ Research study (issued on 6 May 2013):
· The outlook for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is weak due to the potential change of Commonwealth Government on 14 September. Opinion polls currently predict the Liberal-National Coalition, which plans to cut the public service, will win Government from the Labor party.

· The ACT’s growth prospects remain highly dependent on the outcome of the 14 September Federal election. A change of government would likely lead to an estimated 4% cut in employment in the ACT with significant flow on effects to business and consumer sentiment.

· The economic outlook for the ACT could be heavily negatively affected by the Commonwealth Opposition’s planned cuts to the public service if the Coalition wins Government on 14 September, as opinion polls currently predict.

· We estimate there could be a direct 4% cut to Canberra’s workforce, which would have flow-on effects to other sectors in the ACT and nationally.

· With this looming contingency, there has already been an effect on the territory’s economy, with the housing market slowing and businesses and households acting cautiously.

Join the conversation

3
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest
thebrownstreak693:11 pm 04 Jul 13

neanderthalsis said :

As opposed to what the mass sackings will do when his mob get the run of the place.

As opposed to what the mass sackings by stealth we have under the current mob.

Canberra is really just a company town, when things go downhill for the company, the town follows.

+1. Julia’s mob has already effectively sacked 7000 pubes in the last couple of years. When Tony gets in most of the dirty work will already have been done.

neanderthalsis1:27 pm 04 Jul 13

As opposed to what the mass sackings will do when his mob get the run of the place.

As opposed to what the mass sackings by stealth we have under the current mob.

Canberra is really just a company town, when things go downhill for the company, the town follows.

Now with a response from Andrew Barr

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.