Wayne Swan (Lilley, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

and it is something that the government takes very seriously. That is why we have said repeatedly that the global recession will have a negative impact on employment in Australia. The global recession will have that impact, and it is going to have tragic consequences for too many Australians. That is why the government is so steely in its resolve to support employment through stimulus packages—first of all the Economic Security Strategy brought down last October and, of course, our Nation Building and Jobs Plan. They are all designed to support employment in this economy in the middle of a global recession, because there is only one certainty here: we would be much worse off if the government had not acted. That is something that those opposite simply refuse to acknowledge. They refuse to acknowledge the magnitude of the problem and they refuse to put forward any alternative whatsoever. They are a policy free zone.

Looking at the pictures on television last night of those Pacific Brands workers only steels the government’s determination to act and steels the government’s determination to support employment. On this side of the House we will do everything within our power to support employment and to avoid unemployment. The only people in this country who want higher unemployment are those on that side of the House. There is something inherently un-Australian about the way they celebrate these figures. There most certainly is. Those opposite stand up and say they are for jobs and then come into the House and vote against jobs.

We saw comments today from a leading Australian businessman, who is not associated with this side of the House, Mr Corbett. He is probably one of our most respected businessmen in this country. He made this point—and it represents what the business community is saying, it represents what the Australian Industry Group is saying, it represents what the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is saying, it represents what the Business Council of Australia is saying and it represents what everybody in this country, except those on the opposite side of the House, is saying. He said:

Delay is very, very counterproductive to the end result.

Mr Corbett called on federal and state oppositions not to stand in the way of government attempts to stimulate the economy. Mr Corbett went on to make this very sensible point—and this is a complete repudiation of everything that has been said in this House and in the Senate by the Liberal and National parties. He said:

“I think, generally, economic theory, sensible theory is that a package is needed—

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