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

Thank you for those gracious remarks, Senator Marshall. I can't confirm that, because I'm not familiar with the latest statistics on that particular index. What I can tell you is that we have lately enjoyed, in the last financial year, the highest jobs growth since the GFC. In the 2016-17 financial year 240,200 new jobs were created, full-time employment increased by 175,400 jobs, the participation rate increased and in the month of June alone—and this is remarkable—we had some 60,000 new jobs, full-time and part-time.

So the overall picture of the labour market is healthy. There is a real spurt in jobs growth. As you know, Senator Marshall, because I know you take an interest in these matters, healthy labour market conditions will have an effect, in due course, on the price of labour—in other words, on wages. The government is optimistic in this regard, but we are particularly pleased with the strength of the growth in jobs.