Stuart Henry (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Would the minister inform the House how the government’s workplace reforms are delivering higher wages and more jobs for Australian workers? How has the union movement reacted to these changes and what is the government’s response?

Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hasluck for his question and, in response to it, I can indicate that since the introduction of Work Choices in March this year we have seen 205,000 jobs created in Australia. Of those 205,000 jobs, 184,000 jobs have been full-time jobs. That 205,000 is almost three times the average number of jobs created for the same six-month period in Australia over the previous 20 years.

As I go around this country I meet employers and, in particular, employees who tell me about the higher wages and the jobs they have as a result of this government’s economic policies. Not only is that reflected in the ABS data about job creation but also it is reflected in the latest ABS data about the increase in wages in Australia. What we have as a result of increased workplace flexibility in Australia is a larger number of jobs, a significant number of jobs having been created and wages going up, as reflected last week in the decision of the Australian Fair Pay Commission.

The member for Hasluck asked me about the reaction of the union movement. Last week the ACTU finalised its industrial relations policy. This policy that Mr Combet and the ACTU put forward is interesting because in it not a word is said about building Australia’s prosperity. There is nothing in this document about keeping the Australian economy strong and, significantly, there is nothing in this policy about creating jobs for Australians—a policy from the Australian Council of Trade Unions that makes no mention whatsoever about jobs and creating jobs in this country and that says nothing about the plight of those who remain unemployed in Australia and about their chances of moving into jobs.

What we have once again from the ACTU is a document which is about the union bosses wanting to grab more power in Australia’s workplaces. I believe Australians want to see a workplace relations system that strengthens the Australian economy, that gives more Australians an opportunity to get jobs for themselves and their families and that enables Australians to get out and have a go. There is nothing in the ACTU document about that. In stark contrast, Greg Combet and the Leader of the Opposition want simply to impose more union power on Australia. The Leader of the Opposition weakly caves in to every suggestion which is made by the ACTU. This would be a disaster for the Australian economy.