Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Finance and Deregulation) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to take a question about South Australia, although I have to say that given the tone of that it appears the good senator really wishes he could have been a member of the South Australian parliament. I am surprised that he regards the Senate as less important than the state parliament, but if he does maybe he should consider changing his preselection.

I am very happy to take a question on South Australia and on jobs, because of course we know that the most recent unemployment figures show that under this government we have seen 920,000-plus jobs created since this government came to power. I know that those opposite like to talk down the economy, whether it is the South Australian economy or the federal economy. We know that they like to foster uncertainty and we know that they hate good economic news for Australians. They hate good economic news for Australians; they want higher unemployment because they think it sits in their political interests.

And the tone of that question demonstrated that. They are really cheering on any unemployment they can find.