Russell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Would the Prime Minister inform the House how the government’s ongoing strong economic management is helping to ensure Australia’s future prosperity? Further, Prime Minister, what is the government’s vision for Australia’s economic future and is the Prime Minister aware of any alternative plans?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for McMillan for that question. I note in passing that in 1996 the unemployment rate in the electorate of McMillan was 7.7 per cent; in March of 2007 the unemployment rate in McMillan had fallen to 4.3 per cent. I also note in passing that the honourable member’s Labor opponent in the forthcoming election is somebody who balances her current career as an organiser with the shop assistants union with being a heritage officer with the Labor Party. At least there is no conflict of interest in relation to that, but it is typical that so many people who are union officials are candidates for the Australian Labor Party.

The member for McMillan asked me: how has our economic policy benefited the Australian economy? The benefits to the Australian economy are strong and evident: the lowest unemployment level in 33 years; the very strong financial position; the esteem and the regard in which this country is held around the world; the capacity of the Australian economy to withstand international economic shocks—and that has been demonstrated on a number of occasions over the last 10 years. What we have in September 2007 is a situation where the best years of Australia will be ahead of this country if we make wise decisions not only about our governments but also about the sorts of policies that ought to be introduced into the future and the way in which we use our current prosperity. The way in which to guarantee that the years ahead of us will be better than the years that have passed is to embrace a government and an approach that are willing to put substance in place of spin and process. If there is one thing that distinguishes this government from the opposition it is our capacity to actually make decisions and to implement them.

The member for McMillan asked me about alternative plans. I have in my spare time been doing a little research, thumbing through the files, and I have come across the fact that the Labor Party has announced that it will establish 67 new departments, ministries, commissions, task forces, councils and offices. In case you think I am exaggerating, I will give you some of the detail. There are going to be five in the Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs portfolio. There are going to be four in the Department of Education, Science and Training. There are going to be six in the Department of Health and Ageing. There are going to be five in the Prime Minister’s department. There are going to be four—Joe, you do not escape—in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations. For the man sitting next to Joe, Ian Macfarlane, the Industry, Tourism and Resources portfolio is going to have 10. There are going to be three in the Transport and Regional Services portfolio and there are going to be 11 in the Treasury portfolio. There is going to be one in the Defence portfolio, five in Foreign Affairs and Trade, five in the Environment and Water Resources, one in Immigration and Citizenship, two in the Attorney-General’s portfolio, one in the communications portfolio and one in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

They are going to establish a whole-of-government body called ‘Infrastructure Australia’ and they are going to establish a coast-guard—or a ‘coastguide’, as it was so appropriately called by the foreign minister. Of course, they are going to have a new department of homeland security, which I have to record has been an abysmal failure in the United States. Of course, it is the American example. They keep saying that I am too close to the Yanks but they keep copying the Americans when they want to announce a new portfolio.

In addition to that, the Labor Party has announced that, if elected to government, it will establish 96 separate reviews, audits, inquiries and investigations. That is in addition to the 67 new agencies and departments. There will be six in Employment, two in the Environment, 11 in Defence, two in Veterans’ Affairs, nine in Industry, two in Agriculture, two in Finance, six in Transport, nine in the Treasury, one in Education, four in Health, seven in Families and Community Services, 10 in the Attorney-General’s, nine in Foreign Affairs, nine in Immigration and 12 in Communications, IT and the Arts—including, might I say, 11 in the arts area announced in one go by the member for Kingsford Smith over one weekend. That was probably the weekend he was not allowed to go to Tasmania, when the environment policy was being announced! Then of course there is going to be an omnibus review of federal-state relations. I say to the Leader of the Opposition: that is not how you govern a country.

I was reminded in a discussion that I had with the Treasurer a few moments ago that, when we redesigned the Australian taxation system, we did not ask a committee to tell us how to do it. The committee comprised me, the Treasurer, the finance minister, the head of the Treasury and senior officials in the Taxation Office and the Treasury. Day after day, week after week, month after month, we sat in the cabinet room and we made the decisions, we restructured the Australian taxation system, because we happen to take the view that, if you are elected to government, it is the responsibility of the ministers, and not others, to make the decisions about the future of our nation.