Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Makin for his question. Jobs and growth drive every decision that this government takes when it comes to our economic settings and the future of the country. We understand how important a job is to a family, not just in terms of the future but in terms of the cost-of-living pressures. Those opposite do not understand that. I was pleased to see, as the Prime Minister said before, the American President today reaffirm how important it is to have a growing economy to secure prosperity, to secure good living standards and, most particularly, to secure jobs, which are the foundation of the peace of mind of all of our people. He made the point that a growing economy supports middle-class jobs. This is a government that has been driven by that ambition every day that we have been in office.

As the Prime Minister said before, it is disappointing to see that those opposite do not share this view. They have the view that they have to take a sledgehammer to our economy like the sledgehammer that has been taken to the Queensland economy by the Queensland Premier. They have ticked off on just about every one of those cuts in Queensland, all of them damaging to growths and to jobs in the Queensland community.

Central to generating jobs and growth is good fiscal policy, and that fiscal policy has to be absolutely transparent. We have been accountable for our fiscal policy through budgets, mid-year updates and economic statements at every turn during the five years that we have been in office. That is absolutely essential to supporting jobs and growth. Those opposite do not support that approach. Not once in five years have they put forward a carefully costed policy that has passed the costing test—not once.

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