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Mr PETER DEBNAM: My question is to the Premier. Given that he and his Ministers have spent this week in the House manufacturing filth, and given that the real concern to New South Wales families is, as his Treasurer says, the fact that the New South Wales economy will get worse, why will he not move beyond denial and adopt my rescue plan?
Mr MORRIS IEMMA: The Leader of the Opposition's economic rescue plan is that on day one he will bankrupt New South Wales. Let us adopt it! It was probably taken off the back of a Kellogg's box; voodoo economics; say yes to everyone who knocks on your door. He says yes to everyone who wants an increase in spending. He lacks the courage to say no. He says yes to everyone who knocks on the door for a tax cut. The spendometer is racing past $20 billion. He denies himself every possible source of revenue and he says yes to every increase in spending, but his web site says "balanced budget". How? It does not add up.
The one policy he has to save money is to sack 29,000 nurses, teachers, police, ambulance officers and firefighters. If he were able to sack 29,000, and in the process destroy our hospitals, schools and police, it would give him approximately $9 billion. But on a generous count, given that the Peter meter is pushing well past $24 billion, he is still somewhere between $11 billion and $15 billion short. Yet he asks me why I will not adopt his policy. There is a very simple reason why I will not adopt his policy. On day one, if the Coalition is elected, it will bankrupt New South Wales.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of The Nationals will resume his seat and stop calling out.
Mr MORRIS IEMMA: We are about protecting workers in the State, not handing them over to WorkChoices and seeing their pay packets reduced and their families ruined. A couple of months ago we passed special legislation to protect nurses, TAFE teachers, ambulance officers and all front-line State workers from WorkChoices.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will stop calling out.
[Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Bega to order for the first time.
Mr MORRIS IEMMA: We will not support the policies of the Leader of the Opposition because they are a recipe for the destruction of hospitals, education and police in New South Wales. They would put the State's triple-A credit rating at risk.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I call the honourable member for Bega to order for the second time. The Premier has the call.
Mr MORRIS IEMMA: We will not adopt the policies of the Leader of the Opposition because they would bankrupt New South Wales. A couple of weeks ago on the Ray Hadley program the Leader of the Opposition was asked, "What's the Opposition's plans for State significant developments if they gain power in March?" to which the Leader of the Opposition gave this answer, "I think across the State, Ray, there are clearly a number of sites that are State significant". Here comes the policy, "and, Ray, we should keep an eye on them." When he was asked about the High Court challenge to WorkChoices and whether he would support the Government, the Leader of the Opposition said, "Industrial relations, no, that is a Commonwealth matter." When he was asked about WorkChoices he said, "We will get back to you on that later." Why would we not adopt his policies? Need I say any more!