Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister stand by his claim that businesses, the economy and his budget will snap back?

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

I have every confidence in Australian businesses—and it's more than confidence in Australian businesses—to rebuild on the other side of this crisis; I have confidence in businesses being at the centre of our economy and in the regrowth that we will see in our economy that will support the incomes and livelihoods of Australians, not just now but in the decades into the future. Because as Liberals and Nationals we have never believed that government should be at the centre of the economy, that Australians should see a future for themselves only being dependent on the support of other taxpayers—but seeing their own livelihoods being supported by businesses investing and creating jobs, some 1.5 million jobs created over these last 6½ years. And those jobs have been decimated by this terrible COVID crisis that has hit the world. But, in the same way, when we came to government and we rebuilt the nation's finances and we rebuilt the strength of the economy—and that led to 1.5 million Australians getting into jobs—Australians can have confidence that, on the other side of this crisis, the government can apply the same discipline, the same faith, and the same confidence in Australians and the businesses and the enterprising spirit and the innovative nature that we've seen as businesses have adapted in this crisis.

Now, the Leader of the Opposition may want to engage in the semantics of this, but I can tell you what I'm engaged in, Mr Speaker, and that is the fortitude and the strength of the Australian people and the strength of the Australian economy, even still in the midst of this crisis, even still with the delivery of the single largest income support this country has ever seen. Ratings agencies around the world know that we've got this covered. And it's true that, as we've sought to raise the finances necessary to pay for that economic lifeline to Australians, then finance around the world has subscribed to our bonds over and over and over again. And the reason for that is people have confidence in this country. I have confidence in this country. And I believe this country will bounce back and bounce strongly under the leadership of this government.