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

I thank the honourable member for Fisher for his question. As a former assistant Treasurer, he knows how important it is to make the difficult but lasting decisions that help to fix up a mess left by Labor. Our economic action strategy is laying down the foundations for stronger economic growth right across Australia. As a result of our initiatives to strengthen the Australian economy, over this 12-month period, job creation in Australia has been running at twice the speed that it was under this Leader of the Opposition just last year. Twice as many jobs have been created every month in Australia under the coalition than under Labor last year.

Secondly, for the first time ever, we have seen record falls in electricity prices. How important that is for Australian manufacturers, for those who rely on logistics, for Australian businesses and, most of all, for Australian households. Thirdly, we have now seen consumer confidence rise to levels that are the highest average since 1990—contrary to the bunkum pushed around by the Leader of the Opposition, who rarely gets his facts right. Consumer confidence is now at long-term average levels. According to Dun and Bradstreet, business-sales expectations have increased to 14-year highs. I say again: business-sales expectations are at 14-year highs. And who is the greatest advocate for that? Stephen Koukoulas, the chosen economic adviser to the Labor Party. But, of course, there is more to be done.

Mr Bowen interjecting—

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