Mr WILTON (9:46 AM) —It is a privilege to follow the member for Kennedy (Mr Katter) and talk on the issue of jobs, an issue that I am sure is a little less close to his heart than it was, given that his government has closed the CES in Mareeba. This is indicative of its tendency to shut CESs around the country and indicative of what I believe is its lack of commitment to do anything meaningful for Australia's rising numbers of unemployed. I say rising unemployment because, even though the figures issued last week were 7.9 per cent, the government's own budget forecast put unemployment for the course of the next financial year at eight per cent, which means clearly it is going to rise—

Mr Slipper —Less than eight per cent.

Mr WILTON —Clearly it has got to rise to eight per cent. Clearly it has got to rise to 8.1 or 8.2 per cent if it is to average eight per cent over the course of the next year. Let me also say that, in its first two years of office, the Howard government has only created 25 per cent of full-time jobs that were created by the outgoing Labor government in the last two years of its office. The Howard government's decision to ignore Australia's unemployed, for what is now three consecutive budgets, shows very clearly that it has got no real desire, drive or plan to create jobs for the unemployed of this country.

Mr Slipper —What about Job Network?

Mr WILTON —The member for Fisher asked me what about Job Network. My office is overwhelmed by calls—in fact we would get one call at least per day, which is a significant number—with people complaining about the new job placement arrangements. I had a letter from a woman this week—and the member for Fisher (Mr Slipper) might take due heed of this—whose son is registered as unemployed. He is waiting on an interview with Centrelink, but he needs to receive a benefit before Employment National will assist him with job placement—a parlous and disgraceful situation. His mother writes, `Our society is forgetting about people, especially those who politicians have little interest in, the unemployed and those with little money. I think the sooner the Liberals stop damaging what caring programs we have, the better.'

Those sentiments are reflected across my electorate of Isaacs. People know that this government has now had three chances to do something positive. Three strikes and they are clearly out. They are out of ideas and I am sure they will be voted out of office at the next election based on their disgraceful performance on the issue of job creation because, on their own figures, unemployment will rise over the course of the next financial year.