Mr NEVILLE (2:30 PM) —My question is addressed to Minister for Trade. Would the minister inform the House how Australia’s export performance is helping to create Australian jobs and raise living standards?

Mr VAILE (Minister for Trade) —I thank the member for Hinkler for his question and recognise his keen interest in our export performance, particularly as it relates to his part of Queensland that relies heavily on the exports coming out of the electorate of Hinkler. Australian jobs and growth in living standards have always been directly connected to our ability to export what we manufacture and what we produce and the services we provide out of Australia. The more goods and services that we can sell into the international marketplace obviously the stronger our economic performance will be. As far as employment is concerned it is a well-known fact that one in five Australian jobs rely on an export industry. That becomes even stronger in rural and regional Australia and in electorates like that of the member for Hinkler where one in four jobs relies on our export performance. I am very pleased to inform the House that Australian exports reached their highest monthly level ever in April. They are growing at nine per cent—

Mr Crean interjecting—

Mr VAILE —to reach an output of $14.6 billion. This is the strongest monthly exports growth since the Olympics in September 2000 and it is the highest monthly level ever recorded.

Mr Crean interjecting—

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Hotham.

Mr VAILE —Notwithstanding the impacts of drought that have beset Australia’s agricultural producers not just this year but in years gone by, Australia’s exports are now firmly on track to achieve a record level in both value and volume terms in 2004-05.

Mr Crean interjecting—

The SPEAKER —Order! The member for Hotham is warned!

Mr VAILE —This result reinforces the government’s commitment to opening up markets and to supporting our agenda of trade liberalisation across the world and, of course, our efforts in promoting and supporting Australia’s exporters. It also highlights the importance of maintaining an open and competitive economy. We have endeavoured to do that in our term in office by reforming the Australian economy and undertaking important reforms in the Australian workplace. But it underlines the important fact that we must continue those reforms in the workplace. We need to continue the reforms that we have outlined to Australia’s workplace relations to maintain our competitive edge in the international marketplace.