Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

Coming from the state of Queensland, Senator McGrath would be aware of the youth unemployment rate in Cairns is 22 per cent, Townsville 19 per cent, Rockhampton 14 per cent, outback Queensland 15 per cent. We need jobs in these regional areas and that is why we as a government will not stand idly by when legislation is cynically used to destroy job opportunities for young Australians. Business conditions are tough enough in rural and regional Australia without these cynical campaigns being funded from overseas, coming into Australia to deny our fellow Australians and young Australians the job opportunities that they need.

We want to see these infrastructures come on line. We want to see the creation of jobs. In most recent times we have seen a project worth $16,000 million, 10,000 separate jobs being denied our Australian people. (Time expired)