Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment Participation) Share this | Hansard source

whereas the entire world knows that there has been fundamental change to economies across the world as a result of these changes.

Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, who wants a bob each way, who likes to walk both sides of the street when it comes to any policy prescription that might be under consideration by government, the government acted very swiftly to respond by ensuring a fiscal stimulus to our economy. Before I get to the detail of the response by the government in relation to this very important area in ensuring that we protect and create jobs, can I say that it is clear that the opposition are quite happy to make merry, to make fun, of the fact that people might be losing their jobs. They seem to concern themselves with what may be the perception of the government if unemployment rises rather than concerning themselves with the unemployed or with those people who may lose their jobs.

As Terry McCrann, a very credible economist from the Herald Sun, said recently in relation to the Leader of the Opposition’s stance:

It probably isn’t a good idea for the Opposition Leader to implicitly call Glenn Stevens and the staff of the Reserve Bank a bunch of idiots.

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