Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Australia’s unemployment rate of 5.8 per cent does remain lower than any of the major advanced economies except Japan. In the US, the unemployment rate has reached 9.7 per cent, its highest in 26 years. In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate is now at 7.8 per cent. In Canada, the unemployment rate is 8.7 per cent. And in the Euro area, unemployment has reached 9.5 per cent. Since September 2008, employment in Australia has fallen by just 0.3 per cent. This compares to much higher falls in the US, Canada and the UK. These figures demonstrate that the government’s approach is working to assist in retaining jobs, helping Australians stay in work. Without that action, unemployment would be much higher today. Compared with the rest of the world we are doing well but we are in a very difficult circumstance. (Time expired)