Nickolas Varvaris (Barton, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on the government's response to the Harper competition policy review? How important is it that Australia's governments work together to find new ways to update our economy and promote growth in jobs?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the very excellent member for Barton. He does a great job as the member for Barton. We would like to see him remain in that role—my neighbour from across the river.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

I notice the interjections from the member for Grayndler, who aspires to be the member for Barton, I notice.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will not be distracted and will come to the question.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is like the member for McMahon aspiring to be the member for Fowler. It is musical chairs everywhere over there!

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer will come to the substance of the question.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on direct relevance. The Treasurer is the last person who should be talking about preselections, after how Cook started—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Watson will resume his seat. The Treasurer has the call.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question goes to the Harper review, and delivering better services and more choice for Australian consumers and working with the states and territories are what will drive growth and jobs in the economy. Working together with the states and territories to drive growth is what our response to the Harper review is all about. It is resetting the agenda on competition policy and setting out agenda for productivity growth over the next 10 years, because we know on this side of the House that we need to drive productivity growth to ensure that the real incomes of Australians are improved and the earnings of Australia are improved against the headwinds that we know are in place in front of our economy.

Now our economy is transitioning and it does need these productivity enhancements in the years ahead to ensure that we can drive growth. That was acknowledged by the Reserve Bank governor only in the last 24 hours. He acknowledged that the transition that is taking place in our economy is underway, and he said in his speech:

A number of data points over recent months suggest that prospects for firmer conditions in the non-mining economy are improving. Business surveys indicate that firms report conditions to be, if anything, above their long-term average in some key sectors. Firms seem to have stepped up their hiring. Job vacancies have been increasing, hours worked have been increasing and employment growth, even before the most recent month's data, had strengthened noticeably over the past year. Labour force participation has risen, and the unemployment rate has been stable. This is supporting income growth as the terms of trade decline works its way through the economy.

So the economy is growing, and it is growing in spite of those headwinds. What we have had in the reaction to the government's announcements in response to the Harper inquiry is the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who says that it will:

… make Australia a more competitive place to do business, as well as delivering a much needed boost to the nation's growth and productivity.

The Ai Group says it will:

… usher in a range of measures to boost national productivity, investment, and economic opportunities for Australian businesses …

UnitingCare Australia says:

Increased choice and control for individuals across a range of human services will lead to improved outcomes for people.

It is referred to by Lin Hatfield Dodds as a 'positive game-changer'. The government are getting on with the job of driving growth and jobs in our economy, and our response to the Harper review does exactly that. (Time expired)