Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I certainly welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter of public importance concerning jobs and training. What we have heard is 10 minutes of rhetoric from the member for Gorton and failed immigration minister, the guy who won the silver Logie for boat arrivals—not the gold Logie; the member for McMahon won the gold Logie on failed border protection—and who certainly has no reputation at all with regard to job creation. Let us think about Labor's record in relation to unemployment. On their watch youth unemployment queues increased by 55,000, on their watch the rate of youth unemployment increased by almost three per cent and on their watch the number of unemployed increased by 200,000. He seems to have suddenly found a solution to the problems of the Australian car industry, and their solution is endless rhetoric. Let us remind the good member of the past, because he seems to have forgotten that Mitsubishi left Australia on their watch. He was not able to stop Mitsubishi from leaving. He claims he has all of the answers today, yet Mitsubishi left. He is looking left, he is looking right, but Mitsubishi left on his watch. Former Prime Minister Gillard announced funding for Ford—it was going to save Ford, it was going to create jobs, and what happened? Ford announced it was leaving. Far from being the champion of people in the workforce, the member opposite is nothing but a failure.

We on this side of the House believe that nothing creates opportunities faster, and nothing creates more jobs, than a strong economy. The budget that was handed down in this House just weeks ago sets the stage for building jobs into the future. It was a budget that invests for our future rather than what the opposition did when in government, and that was to spend for today. Ours is a budget that invests in infrastructure; it is a budget that provides incentives and programs to assist people into work. Members opposite face some real challenges as we approach 30 June. They could assist with the repeal of the carbon tax—a $7.6 billion hit on the economy. If the members opposite were serious about having concerns for unemployed Australians, if the members opposite were serious about creating jobs for young Australians, they would immediately assist the government in the repeal of the carbon tax. What are you doing? You are sitting there and doing nothing. You are sitting on your hands, when the repeal of the carbon tax will create jobs.

Then there is the mining tax. Those opposite are standing in the way of the repeal of the mining tax. Why don't you support the repeal of the mining tax? Why don't you come over this side and vote for it? We believe the best way to create jobs is through a strong economy. I noticed that you mentioned the great state of Tasmania in your contribution.

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