Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Deputy Leader of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter of public importance. When we look at the business report card on the performance of this government we need to look no further than the plunge in business and consumer confidence to actually have an idea of what business is saying and thinking about the performance of this government, because confidence is a foundation stone. It is a foundation stone that underpins the effective operation of any market. Confidence is a factor that underpins hiring decisions for businesses large and small. If we had a situation where every small business in this country hired just one more employee we would, in theory at least, totally eliminate unemployment.

The government reminds us regularly about the decision the people of Australia made on 24 November. We accept that and we acknowledge that, but business is sending another message to this government. It is sending the message that it does not like the sorts of decisions it sees being made in this place and that they are having an adverse effect on its capacity to be confident and, in being so, to offer opportunity. We hear the members opposite talk long and loud on the issue of terms and conditions relating to people’s employment. But that is the whole point—they are talking about terms and conditions relating to people’s employment, not unemployment. We see around the country jobs for people who want them. Yes, in some areas we have more to do, but under the coalition government we saw the creation of jobs, the creation of opportunities and the building of a stronger community through what those opportunities provided and meant to the people who got those jobs. With this loss of confidence perhaps we are seeing a turning of the tide. Perhaps we are seeing a real watershed in the future of this country. It was interesting to see in the Australian today a little editorial that said:

... the Government has made one lasting mark on the reform process: it is the only government in 30 years to wind it backwards.

So the government has as a badge of honour the status of being the first government in 30 years to wind the reform process backwards.

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