Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is good. I congratulate the shadow Treasurer on getting a question on the economy this week. It doesn't go to the Treasurer, but I'm happy to step in. Once again, we saw the catastrophising from those opposite, who always want to talk down Australia and talk down our economy. The facts are these: the highest inflation rate this century was on their watch, at 2.1 per cent in the March 2022 quarter. The inflation rate in the last quarter was 0.8 per cent. 0.8 or 2.1? Unemployment when we came to office was 3.9; now it's 3.5—fact. Women employed full time is 3.9 million under us; under the previous government, 3.6 million—fact. Long-term unemployed was 133,000 under them; 100,000 under us—fact. On industrial disputes, 128,000 days were lost in the last quarter in which they held office. Remember? Australia was going to stop if the industrial relations legislation went through. What's the figure for the March quarter of this year? 7,700—fact. Annual wage growth was 2.4 per cent under them; it's 3.7 per cent under us. Private business investment was 10.8 under them in the March quarter; it's 11.3 per cent under us.

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