Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I am asked by the member about tonight's budget. The member will see tonight's budget when the Treasurer delivers it at 7:30 tonight, and what I can assure the member is that it is a budget based on the facts, right for these economic circumstances, focused on jobs as this government has always been focused on jobs—960,000 jobs, almost a million, created since this government came to office, an economy 13 per cent larger despite having to face the biggest economic shock the globe has seen since the Great Depression. Despite having to see that, we have put in place policies to support jobs.

I say to the member: if he is interested in the budget then he should direct his attention to the budget tonight, but when he does so he ought to take an approach based on the facts. The member opposite and, indeed, all those members opposite might be interested to know that former Prime Minister Howard was prepared to take an approach based on the facts when it comes to tonight's budget and, indeed, the government's budget in general. He said on 13 May, very recently:

When the current prime minister and the treasurer and others tell you that the Australian economy is doing better than most – they are right.

We are still fortunate that we have an unemployment rate with a five in front of it. I wouldn't have thought that was going to be possible a couple of years ago, and I don't think many people would have. Our unemployment has remained pleasingly quite low.

Former Prime Minister Howard went on to say:

And our debt to GDP ratio, the amount of money we owe to the strength of our economy, is still a lot better than most other countries.

So the member, who worked as an adviser for former Prime Minister Howard, may want to note—

Mr Briggs interjecting—

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