Media Release
Liberals’ reckless promise fails Launceston families
12 February 2008
Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig, today responded to the decision of Centrelink to not expand the Launceston, Hobart and Coffs Harbour call centres.
On the eve of last year’s election, the Liberals made an irresponsible promise they couldn’t keep and they’ve been caught out.
The Liberal promise was unfunded and unsustainable.
The simple fact is the Liberals promised jobs but did not fund them.
The Liberals promised the world to Launceston but they did not back it up with a single dollar.
The Liberals were desperate and were willing to say anything to cling to power.
The Launceston call centre expansion was announced by former Prime Minister John Howard on 13 July 2007 without any specific funding. The expansion simply cannot be absorbed by Centrelink.
The expansion would have involved the acquisition of new office space that Centrelink did not need and expense of fit out of a call centre at substantial additional cost.
The Member for Bass, Jodie Campbell, has fought hard for her local area, but the Liberals did not outlay any money for their promise.
The Liberals should hang their heads in shame for the disingenuous way they have behaved. They made a public promise, but failed to get the money for their promise.
We are still working through the full extent of the Liberal failures within the Human Services Department.
The Australian Government is prepared to tackle the problems left by the Liberals and will make the decisions needed to secure a strong economy and a sustainable Centrelink.
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