Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Brandis, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. I refer to the Prime Minister, who, on deposing former Prime Minister Tony Abbott 12 months ago, said, 'Ultimately, the Prime Minister has not been capable of providing the economic leadership our nation needs.' The Australian Bureau of Statistics most recent Wage Price Index shows the total hourly rates of pay, excluding bonuses, grew by only 2.1 per cent in the year to June. Can the minister confirm that this is the slowest rate of wages growth in the 20 years the ABS has been tracking this measure?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ketter, thank you very much indeed for that question, because it gives me the opportunity to acquaint the Senate with the good economic news and the very strong economic performance—

Senator Kim Carr interjecting—

The question, Senator Carr, was about the government's economic performance, so let me tell you, Senator—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Wong, a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order going to relevance. The question was one question: is this the slowest rate of wages growth in the 20 years the ABS has been tracking the measure? That is the only question that was asked.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is correct. That is the question. The minister had only just commenced his answer.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am going to address your question, Senator Ketter, but I think I am at liberty, Mr President, to give some context to my answer. Senator Ketter, we learned recently that economic growth in this country has risen to 3.3 per cent—one of the strongest economic growth figures this country has enjoyed for years and an exceptionally strong figure by international comparisons. Senator Ketter, during the last year of the government of which you were a member, economic growth languished at 1.9 per cent. Exports today are 9.6 per cent higher than they were 12 months ago—the strongest growth of exports in 16 years. Jobs growth in the last year of the government of which you were a member, Senator Ketter, was 86,000 additional jobs in that year. In the past year, it was nearly 220,000—2½ times the rate of growth in the last year of the government of which you were a member. Senator Ketter, you asked me—

Senator Gallagher interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think, Senator Gallagher, the minister was coming to the question.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order! Could I just indicate, both to people asking questions and to people responding to questions, the chair does need some comfort to know the question will be addressed. That comfort was given after the first point of order. I am taking the Attorney-General at his word. It would assist if the question was addressed early on in the answer, but the Attorney-General was right; he has the right to have context around the question.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. You have the wisdom of Solomon, as always.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a point of order?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brandis is misleading the Senate. Senator Ketter was not a member of the former parliament—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not a point of order. That is a debating point. There are other opportunities to raise those matters, Senator Farrell.

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, you rightly chastise me. I should not blame poor Senator Ketter for the performance of the previous government. The ABS Wage Price Index tells us that wages growth was 2.1 per cent over the year to June 2016. That is more than twice the rate of inflation and faster than the wages growth— (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ketter, a supplementary question?

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given that these figures show that ordinary Australians' living standards are being squeezed under this Prime Minister, can the minister advise whether this is the kind of economic leadership the Prime Minister was referring to when he deposed Mr Abbott?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ketter, your premise is entirely wrong. That is why, to give the context to this answer, I began with economic growth at 3.3 per cent at a time of low inflation and low interest rates, with standards of living and growing business confidence. We had the ANZ measure yesterday and we had the Westpac measure this morning. What they both show is an increase in consumer confidence and an increase in business confidence at a time of high economic growth, low inflation, low unemployment—in comparative terms—and low interest rates. Senator Ketter, the wages growth as reported by the latest ABS Wage Price Index shows that Australia has experienced higher wages growth during the period of this government than the United States, most European countries— (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Ketter, a final supplementary question?

Chris Ketter (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Does the minister agree with Mr Piers Akerman, who says that Mr Turnbull 'may well be the most over-qualified underachiever ever to occupy the Lodge'?

George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me just finish the point I was making in answer to your first supplementary question, Senator Ketter. That is also a higher rate of wages growth than the OECD average. Now in relation to Mr Akerman's observations, I have not read Mr Akerman's observations, but I am sure as an honest person and as a good Villanova man, Senator Ketter, you would not misrepresent the position. I disagree entirely, if Mr Akerman had that to say.

Now this evening there is a great event in this Parliament House—a great event. It is the launch of John Howard's series on the great Robert Menzies. I believe, Senator Ketter, that history will show that Mr Turnbull will rank with Sir Robert Menzies and the great John Howard as one of the great Australian prime ministers.