Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator Cash. Can the minister please update the Senate on how today's release of the ABS labour force figures for the month of August demonstrates how a strong budget is continuing to support the creation of record jobs growth?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Chandler for her question. Indeed, the labour force figures released today for August 2019 show that the economy under a coalition government continues—

Senator Watt interjecting—

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Vice-President of the Executive Council) | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order: interjections are disorderly. Senator Watt might be from a union background, but he doesn't have to constantly interject at Senator Cash.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

I have asked Senator Watt on a couple of occasions to count to five after I call him to order. I'm going to now ask him to count to 10 slowly before he interjects and breaks standing orders again.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) | Link to this | Hansard source

As I was saying, the labour force figures for August 2019 show that the economy continues to create jobs under the Morrison government. In fact, almost 35,000 jobs were created in the month of August, and employment has now risen for 35 consecutive months in a row. This is actually the longest consecutive run of jobs growth in over 40 years.

We also continue to see record jobs growth. Total employment is now at almost 13 million. That is a record high. We also have a record number of young Australians in employment, with almost two million Australians aged between 18 and 24 now in work. In the last 12 months 186,000 full-time jobs have been created, and as at August 2019 almost 1.45 million more Australians are in jobs since the coalition was elected to government in 2013.

In terms of the participation rate, it is at a record high of 66.2 per cent. What does that say about the Australian people? They are putting their hands up. They are encouraged by the employment growth. They are voting with their feet. As our Minister for Finance—our incredibly successful finance minister, given what he brought down today, colleagues—absolutely has said, they are putting their hands up and saying, 'We are ready, willing and able to work and we have confidence'— (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, a supplementary question?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, what further initiatives is the Morrison government taking to allow more Australians to benefit from the dignity of work?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Chandler, for the supplementary question. Of course, we understand that governments don't create jobs. The employers, industries out there, are the job creators of this country. We put in place the economic framework under which we want them—and they certainly are—to prosper, grow and create more jobs for Australians. Mr Morrison, our Prime Minister, who's on his way to the USA: what has he said to the Australian people? 'We will put in place the right economic conditions so that the economy can create an additional 1.25 million jobs over the next five years.' How are we doing this? By supporting an even stronger economy.

Again, our finance minister is returning the budget to surplus in 2019-20—something that, as our finance minister stated, colleagues, when he addressed us earlier, those opposite haven't managed to do since 1989. We understand the benefits of a strong economy and we'll put in place the right policy.

Scott Ryan (President) | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Chandler, a final supplementary question?

Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches that might risk these record figures?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) | Link to this | Hansard source

That might actually work.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) | Link to this | Hansard source

I will take that interjection from Senator Watt, who said 'that might actually work'. Senator Watt, guess what? The policies that you took to the election were voted overwhelmingly by the Australian people as those that would not work. They rejected your policies on 18 May. What did they, in particular, reject, colleagues? I think the Australian people rejected Labor's plans to rip $387 billion out of the economy through their big-taxing agenda. That would have affected, of course, the retirees in this country. It was out of home owners' pockets, out of small-business owners' pockets. What Labor and those on the other side don't understand is that you cannot tax your way to prosperity. You cannot just tax, tax, tax and then spend, spend, spend. That is how you actually contract an economy. That is how you ultimately destroy jobs in this country. We believe in a strong economy and are putting in place the right— (Time expired)