Today's jobs figures show that our commitment to stimulating
Queensland's economy with our record $18.2 billion jobs-creating
building program is helping us stay ahead of the pack and weather the
worst of the global economic storm.
Of course any rise in the number of Queenslanders out of work is
concerning. (Today's figure shows a 0.1 per cent rise to 5.7 per cent).

But what the figures also tell us is that our jobless rate is still lower
than the national figure (5.8 per cent), as well as other States like NSW
(6.2 per cent) and Victoria (6.1 per cent).

We have made keeping Queenslanders in jobs our number one
priority.

That is why, in these tough economic times, we are keeping our
building program going - which is protecting 127,000 Queensland jobs.

Our approach to this is vastly different to that of the Opposition. While
we are unwavering in our commitment to keeping Queenslanders in
jobs, they have so far only talked about job cuts and cuts to projects
and services.

Mr Langbroek's federal colleagues said as recently as today (The
Australian page 1) that they would wind back the federal stimulus
package and have flagged drastic spending cuts.

He must now tell us if he thinks the same approach should apply to our
State economic stimulus - and, if so, which jobs and projects would he
cut?

How many more Queenslanders is he prepared to consign to the
unemployment scrap heap?