Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please outline to the House how the Morrison government's plan for economic recovery is working, especially for regional communities across Australia like the New South Wales Central Coast and Hunter Valley?

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

I thank the member for Robertson for her question and her great advocacy for and championing of jobs on the Central Coast, and not just there but all up through the Central Coast and Hunter—her championing of small business on the Central Coast and the investments that they're making, and, importantly, her championing of seeing young families, especially, on the Central Coast, getting into their first home. That's why the member for Robertson has been so supportive of the policies that have seen all of those things occurring under this government.

First of all, on jobs: the unemployment rate has fallen to 5.5 per cent on the most recent figures, and we welcome the fact that unemployment is falling in this country. We particularly welcome the fact, also, that underemployment has fallen to its lowest level since 2014. We welcome the fact that youth unemployment has fallen to its lowest level in 12 years, with some 300,000 jobs and more coming back after those jobs were so terribly lost through the COVID-19 pandemic recession. We welcome the fact that 150,000 additional apprentices have been coming on as part of the new programs that we're putting in place to support apprentices around the country, which are particularly supporting apprenticeship places up in the Central Coast and the Hunter where I've had the opportunity to visit on so many occasions this year and to see those policies having their effect.

This has been made possible because we're supporting businesses small and large with lower taxes, which means that they can invest more, and with targeted programs, whether it be to develop new science and technology and new research and development, or simply with a lower tax rate and the instant asset write-off. We have seen people investing around the country. I was up at Star Scientific, where they're investing in new hydrogen technology. I've been up at Xtreme Engineering in Gladstone, where, as the member will know, they've spent $1.8 million on a new crane so they can implement their latest contract, working with the Bureau of Meteorology. There's Aquaterro out in Pakenham, defence contractors; Planet Innovation up in Box Hill, where they're investing in new medical equipment manufacturing capabilities—all being made possible by the instant asset write-off. Of course, in the Hunter, there's expanding the Newcastle airport and investing in a new gas-fired power plant in Kurri Kurri to keep electricity prices down and keep the Tomago Aluminium smelter open so the jobs in that smelter continue—just like the jobs in the smelter at Portland, where I was with the member, to ensure that this government is backing in jobs; they're backing in investment in regional parts of the country and particularly up on the Central Coast and the Hunter, where, I know, the member is most focused.