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Thursday, 12 February 2015
Page: 715

Employment

Mr SHORTEN (Maribyrnong—Leader of the Opposition) (14:09): My question is to the Prime Minister. Today's labour force figures show that there are now 100,000 more Australians out of work than when the Liberal-National government was elected. When will the Prime Minister stop worrying about his own job and start worrying about the jobs of Australians?

Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:10): I want to give the Leader of the Opposition the benefit of the doubt. I do want to concede that he is genuine when he asks a question like that. But, if members opposite were fair dinkum about protecting employment in this country, why has the Victorian Labor government, with the full support of the Leader of the Opposition, just crushed 7,000 jobs in Victoria by refusing to go ahead with the East West Link.

Honourable members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: There will be silence on both sides of the House!

Mr ABBOTT: This government is serious about creating jobs. We are serious about creating jobs, and if you want to create jobs you have to go ahead with job-creating infrastructure. Seven thousand jobs would be created by the East West Link.

Opposition members interjecting —

The SPEAKER: The member for Gorton! The member for Rankin!

Mr ABBOTT: They have now been destroyed by the Victorian Labor government with the full support of the Leader of the Opposition. Yes, these are disappointing figures, but 213,000 jobs were created last year. The rate of jobs growth last year was three times the rate achieved in the last year of the former, Labor government. ANZ job ads have now increased in each of the last eight months and are up 13.6 per cent on the level of a year ago.

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The member for Wills and the member for Griffith will desist!

Mr ABBOTT: The just released Dun and Bradstreet business expectations survey has found that the outlook on employment is the most positive it has been for 10 years. Just yesterday, the Westpac consumer confidence index was released.

Opposition members interjecting—

The SPEAKER: The member for Rankin in warned!

Mr ABBOTT: It demonstrated an eight per cent increase to bring consumer confidence up to the highest level in 12 months. This is a government which is serious about creating jobs. This is a government which is serious about being open for business. What have we got over there? What have we got over there on the other side of this House?—a Leader of the Opposition whose only policy is to bring back the mining tax, bring back the carbon tax and destroy jobs.

Mr Shorten: I rise on a point of order: relevance.

The SPEAKER: The Prime Minister has finished his question.

Mr Shorten: The Prime Minister has spent 2½ minutes; he has not mentioned 100,000 unemployed.

The SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat.