George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I thought the Australian Labor Party was also concerned that Australians who want to work should be able to find work. That is certainly what motivates this government, which is why we are delighted that the unemployment rate in Australia today has fallen to 5.6 per cent, its lowest rate in three years. We also note that casual work is a genuine choice for many people. To imagine that full-time work is the only legitimate measure of the health of the labour force is a delusion. Casual work is a genuine and fulfilling choice for many people. Casual and part-time work also helps create new jobs, is vital to the economy and very often suits the choices of those individuals. Particularly, it is the option of many parents, many women and many students. The percentage of employees who are in casual employment has in fact been relatively steady over the past decade. As at August, 25.1 per cent of employees were casual, representing approximately 2.5 million participants in the workforce, compared to the peak in 2004 of 25.7 per cent.