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

Like the Leader of the Opposition, I am dismayed that unemployment went up last month. But this can hardly come as a shock to the Leader of the Opposition because the Leader of the Opposition was a senior member—the minister for employment—of a government which forecast that under its policies unemployment would hit 6¼ per cent at about this time. How can the Leader of the Opposition protest against a development which he forecast would happen under his policies?

The Leader of the Opposition says where is our plan. Our plan is to get rid of the carbon tax; his plan is to keep the carbon tax. Our plan is to get rid of the mining tax; his plan is to keep the mining tax. Our plan is to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission; his plan is to keep running a protection racket for a protection racket.

I do not say that the 200,000 increase in unemployment under the former government was all the former government's fault. I do not say that the 80,000 increase in unemployment when the member opposite was the employment minister was all his fault. I do not say that the 130,000 jobs that disappeared in the manufacturing industry when members opposite were in power was all their fault.

Opposition members: Yes you did!

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