Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

All that those opposite want to do is talk down the economy. Conversely, what would they do? Let us reflect on my home state of Queensland and what the Liberal National Party has done up there. They have sacked 25,000 workers. The flow-on effect for the economy in Queensland is an increase in the unemployment rate and a lack of confidence among people to go out and spend. On top of that, what else are they doing? They are selling schools. They are selling aged-care homes as well, the homes of people who are in the last days of their lives, who should be respected and treated with dignity. The LNP are selling their homes out from under their feet. What a disgrace! This is a curtain raiser to what we will see if we end up with the unfortunate situation later this year where those opposite form government. On top of that, they are privatising all our assets in Queensland where possible. Last week I was on a road trip from Brisbane to Central Queensland. I had a very positive meeting with the council in Gladstone and they expressed deep concern over the LNP government's proposal to sell off the port. They referred to that proposal as a huge step backwards in time. The sorts of comments coming from councils who are concerned about what Campbell Newman's government has done in Queensland are also reflected in recent comments by former Prime Minister John Howard at the MFAA conference in Sydney. He said the economy is in good shape. He said that, while many people believe the Australian economy is running on empty at the moment, it is actually showing unexpected resilience. He went on to say that he is optimistic, bullish, about the future of the country and when Prime Minister Gillard, Treasurer Swan and others tell you the economy is doing better than most, they are right. That is Mr John Howard saying that we have got it right and you have got it wrong. That is your former leader in this place saying that we have got it right.

Let us look at the other things we have done. We have created nearly one million jobs since we have been in government, and that has created growth. We have 5.6 per cent unemployment, which is half the rate in Europe, which is presently at 11.9 per cent. Mr Deputy President, you are on the same committee as me, so you know that many ambassadors have come before that committee and commended us on how we handled the economy during the global financial crisis. That is why we have a AAA credit rating. We are one of only eight countries in the world to hold that rating. It is a rating that John Howard and the previous coalition government could never achieve. We are the 12th biggest economy in the world, up from 15th. That is the result of the way we managed the economy through the global financial crisis and protected jobs and growth.

I was travelling up the Bruce Highway on that trip last week. Another commitment we have made is $4.1 billion over 10 years for the Bruce Highway, compared to the $1.3 billion that those opposite managed to spend over 11½ years. The Bruce Highway is a construction site. When you drive on it, there are people with stop/go signs along the way. It is great to see. Although your trip is disrupted, it is great to see people employed on building new, better and safer roads for Queenslanders and for this nation—one thing that those opposite opposed in the stimulus package. (Time expired)