Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government
3:07 pm
Madam Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. Despite rising youth unemployment, the government has cut youth unemployment prevention programs such as Youth Connections, partnership brokers and national career advice in this budget. Prime Minister, aren't you making it harder for young people to find a job and then punishing them for being unemployed?
Joe Hockey North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer
The least successful programs for youth unemployment rates.
Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government
They were very successful!
Opposition members interjecting—
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
There will be silence on my left! The question has been asked; now listen to the answer.
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The shadow minister opposite is unhappy about the changes to the funding of certain programs.
Ms Collins interjecting—
I say to her: she is responsible. We had to save money because of the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite created. It is absolutely necessary—
Julie Collins Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Development and Local Government
These programs worked. They were getting people jobs!
Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker
The member for Franklin has asked her question!
Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
for the Commonwealth of Australia to live within its means. It is absolutely necessary for the Commonwealth of Australia to stop handing out money that it does not have and cannot sustainably borrow. It is absolutely necessary that we make responsible savings, including in this area. Because of the debt and deficit disaster that members opposite created some difficult decisions simply had to be made. We have not run away from the difficult decisions the way members opposite did consistently for six years.
What we have said to the young people of Australia is: 'Don't waste your life. Leave school and either improve your education or get a job.' Now isn't that a salutary and necessary message to the young people of Australia? It really does say something about the sad decline of the once great Labor Party. It is not so much the working class party; I am afraid this is a political party which is more interested in expanding the welfare system than it is in expanding the wage system. This really is one of the reasons why no-one can take this Labor Party seriously.