Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable senator for her question. Last week’s ABS data was good news for job seekers, with unemployment falling to 5.2 per cent. It is also good news because what we have seen for the first time is real growth in full-time employment and also real growth in hours worked. Last month alone, the economy created over 36,000 full-time positions. That is 280,000 jobs created over the past 12 months. Full-time employment has now risen for nine consecutive months and has increased by 165,000 over the past year to 2010, and part-time employment is up by 113,000. This is good news for families, because this will ensure that families can put food on their tables and can pay their mortgages—exactly what the government’s commitment was and exactly why we acted with the stimulus package to support workers.

When you compare what is happening in our economy and our labour market to what is going on overseas, it is a remarkable tale. Unemployment in Ireland is almost 13 per cent now. Unemployment in the United States is back up to 9.9 per cent. In the EU it is 9.7 per cent. In Spain it is 19.7 per cent. Mr Abbott said we should emulate New Zealand. Emulate New Zealand’s economy? Unemployment in New Zealand right now is 7.1 per cent.

And this difference has been through the work of the stimulus package. Don’t just ask us; ask Master Builders Australia. Ask Wilhelm Harnisch. Talk about the tradespeople, the carpenters, the plumbers, the electricians and the apprentices all working thanks to the stimulus package. That is what is driving unemployment down. (Time expired)