Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science) Share this | Hansard source

Yet again I find it amazing that those opposite that sit there and talk—whilst they were in power unemployment benefits were growing at 13.5 per cent per annum. Since we have come to power, they are now growing at 3.7 per cent per annum. Why? Because people are getting jobs. That's the best answer to inequality. It's often been said that the best form of welfare is a job. Under this government, since it came to power, some 750,000 jobs have been created; in the last 12 months, 327,000—80 per cent of those being full-time jobs. Why? Because business is doing what it does: it increases profitability and employs more people.

I note—I suspect he may even follow me—the member for Wakefield, who so eloquently described me as a 'big gun'. He may talk about the closure of Holden. I find it interesting that those opposite stand at any forum you can get and want to death write Australian manufacturing, when the facts fly in the face of everything they say. In the last 12 months in this country there has been a net increase of 15,100 jobs in manufacturing. Of those jobs, 6,300 have been in Victoria and 3,700 in South Australia. I have said this often: where is the equality embedded in our way of life in this country as it should be? It is in our progressive taxation system. The top three per cent of taxpayers pay 30 per cent of the revenue—as they should. We are now fast approaching 50 per cent of households in this country that will be net recipients of taxation revenue—as they should be. That's fair. A millionaire will pay $444,000 in tax, an effective rate of 44c in the dollar. Someone on $18,250 will pay nothing. I note too that the member for Jagajaga wanted to talk about penalty rates but very effectively left out EBAs. There is my favourite union, the SDA—what a wonderful bunch they are—whose EBA has now been struck out for 2014 and 2011, for those working for Coles. Why? Because some 54 per cent of the workers—

Mr Champion interjecting—

The member for Wakefield says I don't know anything about it. Yes, I do. I know Penny Vickers very well, who led the claim, who signed a form telling her that those who were signing up would be better off, when 54 per cent—the SDA's recipient that signed the form signed it fraudulently and admitted under oath that he signed a stat dec that he knew was false. In itself that is something that can be prosecuted.

Mr Champion interjecting—

The member for Wakefield says, 'Do you want the end of EBAs?' EBAs are not bad as long as they pass the BOOT test—the BOOT test that you put in. Not us—you! This is the hypocrisy of those opposite. Yes, we want equality; we want increased levels of equality. It comes through progressive taxation.

And then there is the last point, about South Australia. The member for Durack, who was interjecting somewhat in the last speech, mentioned a report in yesterday's paper, or two days ago, in South Australia about 102,000 people taking food parcels because they can't afford to pay their electricity bills. Why? Because the experiment has gone wrong. Everything this government has done has been aimed at delivering jobs. Why? Because jobs are the best form of welfare. The member for Grey, up the back there, came in and fought hard for Arrium. Why? It is because it means jobs. Mr Gupta has come in and worked with my department to secure a deal that will ensure the livelihood of some 10,000 people both directly and indirectly in his electorate alone—let alone those simple deals with government on pre-ordering rail lines moving forward where we can help with procurement. I've said it three times but I'll say it again: the best form of welfare is a job. This government has created 750,000 jobs in the past four years—327,000 in the past 12 months, and 80 per cent of those are full time. That's the part that those opposite don't get. Inequality is best handled with our progressive taxation system—the way it has always been handled since this country was formed.

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