Page 2728 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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that it is almost 40 per cent cheaper to employ someone in the ACT than in New South Wales.
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Please. Ms MacDonald has the call. Order!
MS MacDONALD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Maybe you should point them to standing order 39. Minister, can you please inform the Assembly of the report’s findings?
MR QUINLAN: I will read from the Australian Business Limited press release. It states that:
A detailed analysis of Australia Bureau of Statistics data commissioned by Australian Business Limited has revealed that it is almost 40% cheaper to employ someone in the ACT than in NSW.
The analysis across 14 industry sectors shows that Government taxes and charges cost ACT business $1,630 for every person they employ, compared to $2,628 in NSW.
Australian Business Limited Chief Executive, Mark Bethwaite, released the findings today at a meeting of the Canberra Council of Australian Business Limited.
“On average, ACT employers are paying more than $1000 per employee less in payroll tax and workers compensation premiums than their NSW counterparts,” said John Moyes, Australian Business Limited Regional General Manager for Canberra.
In that press release there are some figures that show how favourably the ACT compares not only with New South Wales but also with other states. That is the summary of the survey that Australian Business Limited has done. They make some qualification in relation to manufacturing, and that is in the press release. Those of you who have read our economic white paper from cover to cover will know that manufacturing represents something like two per cent, at best, of the ACT economy.
In terms of the industries that matter and are important to the ACT, this is absolutely good news for the ACT. It demonstrates, of course, that the government is completely on the right track.
MS MacDONALD: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. How does the ABL report compare with other business reports?
MR QUINLAN: I am glad you asked, Ms MacDonald. The Sensis business index Sweeney research of February 2005 states that the ACT is the easiest jurisdiction in Australia to do business in. I repeat: the easiest jurisdiction in Australia.
The National Institute for Economic and Industry Research found that the ACT ranked number one for its knowledge-driven growth potential. Canberra ranked number one in the global knowledge flows indicator, meaning that the ACT has the highest ratio of global knowledge flow workers out of the entire workforce. It also means that the ACT is ranked number one in Australia for its connectedness to global flows of knowledge
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