Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Why is the government forecasting the highest unemployment rate for 14 years?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are kidding me! Do you remember when you were in government and you had job growth at a quarter of what it is today compared to us? Do you remember, Labor—

Mr Bowen interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for McMahon has asked his question and will desist.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Forgive me for my memory failure, but how many jobs were lost under Labor?

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And the member for Hotham will also desist.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Two hundred thousand jobs lost under Labor. And do you know what? I was the last minister—

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence or people will begin to have their early marks. The Treasurer has the call.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was the last minister for employment in the Howard government and, gee whiz, I remember leaving—

Honourable members interjecting—

That is right; I remember leaving an unemployment rate of around four per cent—four per cent! And when we came in we found an unemployment figure with a 6 in front of it. But the good news is that the coalition government has a plan to create more jobs and is delivering on that plan. We are delivering more jobs. We have four times the speed of job creation as under Labor. We got rid of that job-destroying carbon tax. We got rid of the job-destroying mining tax. We are getting rid of the job-destroying red tape. And the best thing going—we had the biggest infrastructure program in Australia's modern history, led by the infrastructure Prime Minister. We are opening up new trade agreements with Korea, Japan and China, and the Minister for Trade has been negotiating a new agreement with the fastest-growing economy in the world, which is India.

Ms O'Neil interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Hotham is warned.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are lifting the tide. We have broadbased growth coming through. Despite the transition in the Australian economy, as far as I am concerned the best friends of the workers in Australia are the coalition government.