Senator FISHER (2:17 PM) —My question is to Senator Eric Abetz, the Minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister update the Senate on the latest employment data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics? Will the minister also outline the importance of a modern, flexible industrial relations system to maintaining jobs growth? Is the minister aware of any threats to continued jobs growth in this country?

Senator ABETZ (Minister for Fisheries, Forestry and Conservation) —Can I begin by congratulating Senator Fisher on her first question. She will undoubtedly be an adornment in this place, especially in the area of policy, and I look forward to her contributions especially in the area of industrial relations. Today’s job data reveals that the unemployment rate in this country remains at a 32-year low of 4.3 per cent.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Senator Crossin, Senator Polley, come to order!

Senator ABETZ —They do not want to hear the good news that unemployment remains at 4.3 per cent.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Order! Senators on my left will come to order.

Senator ABETZ —Twenty-one thousand, eight hundred new jobs were created in July and 21,700 of those 21,800 jobs were full-time jobs. What is very important and significant about these figures is that, since March 2006, when we put in our new changes, over 387,500 new jobs have been created. Well may those on the other side bang on about the plight of families. There are 387,500 families who have extra breadwinners in them because of our policies.

What is also important about these figures is that they represent the first monthly figures since the Welfare to Work reforms kicked in. In other words, the participation rate has increased but the unemployment rate has not increased and that is indicative of the strength of the Australian economy. It has not happened by accident; it has happened because the Howard government has been willing to take the tough decisions on behalf of the people of Australia and the people of Australia will remember that those tough decisions were opposed every step of the way by the Australian Labor Party and more importantly by their trade union masters.

We have moved to abolish the unfair dismissal laws of the Keating era. Labor will reintroduce those laws. They will abolish the Australian workplace agreements. They will abolish all those reforms that have allowed an extra 300,000 Australians to gain employment. That is the threat, Senator Fisher, if I may address you directly. The real threat is Labor coming into government undermining all those excellent reforms. What we will see is a return to the union thuggery in the workplace—union thugs like Kevin Harkins, the man whom yesterday they were still defending to the hilt over there, who today has resigned as the Labor candidate for Franklin.

What did the Labor Party offer him to get him out of the way, to get rid of the bad headlines? What does Mr Rudd know about that apparent law-breaking? For once, I happen to agree with Dean Mighell of the Electrical Trades Union. When interviewed on the ABC, he was asked about Kevin Harkins’s resignation and do you know what he said? He said, ‘I think we’ve got the resignation from the wrong Kevin.’ He is right, because Kevin Rudd stood by Kevin Harkins until yesterday. He said he was an excellent candidate and he was worthy to represent the Labor Party. The only reason that they have now moved him aside is headlines. If they get into government, wait for the cushy job that awaits Mr Harkins. (Time expired)