Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. We in this country—if you were to step anywhere else in the world today, they would look at Australia and say, 'This is one of the best performing economies in the world.' However, if you stand in this chamber it is like we have entered an altered universe. And the altered universe suggested by the negative politics of those opposite is that this economy is somehow on its knees, which it is not. The basic economic data stands Australia proud. It is that not only have we come through the worst economic crisis since the Depression without going into recession, without bringing on mass unemployment, but we have also done so with low inflation levels, low interest rates for Australian working families and, on top of that, an avoidance of mass unemployment and employment levels which are the envy of the world. That is why this government and the nation at large should be confident.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

When it comes to detracting from national economic confidence, it is important that all of us engage in a positive economic debate. And having observed from the nether regions for the last few years what has gone on in this debate, it has given me a bit of perspective. During that period of time what I have seen is that every single piece of good economic data advanced about the Australian economy has been ignored, belittled or distorted by those opposite. That is simply how it has gone.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

I believe that what the Australian people are looking for is a positive vision for the nation's future.

Mr Pyne interjecting—

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