Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning on Sunrise, the Prime Minister said:

…the plan is working and we are sticking with the plan.

Given that there are 1,200 more unemployed people in Mandurah than there were when the government came to office, why does the Prime Minister not see that the plan is not working?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can inform the member who asked the question that there are 45,000 more Western Australians employed now than there were on election night in September 2013 because, amongst other things, we have abolished the anti-West Australian taxes like the carbon tax, which the Leader of the Opposition wants to bring back and bring back on steroids, and the mining tax, which the Leader of the Opposition wants to bring back and bring back on steroids.

This is a government which has created 335,000 more jobs since the election. We want to do more and we will do more. This is an opposition, by contrast, which wants to sabotage the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Those opposite are working to sabotage the Carmichael mine and when they are not protecting dodgy union officials at the royal commission, they are appeasing Green members of parliament in order to get Green preferences. So if you want more jobs in this country, there is only one way to vote and that is to vote for the party that wants lower taxes, more infrastructure and freer trade. That is the only way to vote.

If you want more jobs in the part of Western Australia that the member who asked the question refers to, you have got to vote for a fellow called Andrew Hastie. That is what you have got to do because, I tell you what, this is someone who knows what it is like to fight for our country. This is someone with the character to stand up for the Australian people and, having served our country in the Army, he is just waiting for his opportunity to serve our country and the people of Canning in this parliament. I pray to God that that will be given to him.