Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Job advertisements are now 7.9 per cent higher over the past year, indicating that labour conditions are improving. According to the ANZ consumer confidence data released on 21 October—it is quite a volatile index—the four-week average is sitting above the monthly average since 1990. Let me say it again: consumer confidence, under a four-week average—from ANZ—is sitting above the monthly average since 1990. How about business expectations? Dun & Bradstreet's business expectations survey says:

Business owners are optimistic about seeing a jump in sales during the run-up to Christmas …

What about dwelling starts? Let us go to the ABS dwelling starts. Dwelling starts have lifted to 180,408 new dwellings over the 12-month period to June, which is the highest result in 19 years—the highest dwelling start construction activity in 19 years. Hang on; there's more! The more comes about because we are delivering the outcomes that Australians expected. One of the ways we did that was through getting rid of the carbon tax, which effectively reduced electricity prices by 5.1 per cent in the last quarter. What does that mean? That will flow through the economy. It is the first time—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

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