Pat Conroy (Charlton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There is one thing I agree with the previous speaker on, and that is: we should look beyond the rhetoric. Let us look in this debate at the actual evidence. The evidence is that those on the other side have an appalling record in terms of support for industry and jobs. Let us start from the top level and work down.

We have a decade-high unemployment rate. We have a 14.2 per cent youth unemployment rate under those opposite. Aggregate hours worked in the economy have only grown by one per cent since the election in 2013. Average hours of work have fallen since their election. We have a labour force underutilisation rate of 15.1 per cent, which is the highest underutilisation rate since 1995 when we were coming out of the 1990 recession. Perhaps worst of all, we have the highest underemployment rate ever of 8.7 per cent. Statistics started being collected in 1978 on underemployment, and it has never exceeded the level we have now—not even at the depth of the 1980s recession or the 1990s recession did we see an underemployment rate higher than it is now. These are damning statistics that demonstrate the lack of commitment and the lack of delivery from those opposite.

If we look at manufacturing specifically, according to ABS statistics we have seen 12,000 manufacturing jobs already disappear from the sector under their stewardship. We will see 50,000 automotive jobs go in the next few years, and another 200,000 indirect jobs will go. It is an absolute untruth to argue that Holden and Toyota were leaving regardless of what would happen. I was involved in the negotiations with those companies before the last election, and what was very clear was: with the current funding envelope, under the Automotive Transformation Scheme, they would have stayed. They left for one reason: the $500 million cut to that fund promised by Mrs Mirabella when she was opposition industry spokesperson and put in place by Prime Minister Abbott. The spokesperson for Holden was very clear. He said before the last election: 'If you cut that $500 million, we will go.' And that is what happened when Mr Abbott won the election. So let us have none of this rubbish about, 'They were always going.' That is the end of an entire industry—50,000 direct jobs going, and another 200,000 in peril.

We are seeing the same in shipbuilding. I saw 200 shipbuilding jobs go at the shipyard of Forgacs at Tomago very recently in my region.

It is not just support for jobs where they have underperformed. They consistently attack support for research and development. In 1996, when the last coalition government won power, they slashed the R&D tax concession from 150 per cent to 125 per cent, which had a dramatic impact on R&D immediately, and we have seen now a $900 million cut to science and research under this government.

The previous speaker talked about the $188 million for their growth centres, which is a good announcement—except that that is a cut from $500 million, which is what Labor had applied to the precincts initiative, which is essentially the same thing: promoting industrial clusters. That is a $300 million cut, and they brag about saving that $188 million when they cut $312 million from what is essentially the same program. So this shows their lack of commitment in this area.

Another initiative from the last government that they have ignored this the Australian Jobs Act, which gave Australian companies the first chance of winning work on projects over $500 million. Again, we have heard nothing of it since this mob have come to power. We have heard nothing about it because, ultimately, they talk a big game about support for jobs. They are supposedly the party for small business, ignoring their attacks on things such as instant asset write-off. You just have to look at the evidence. The evidence is less support in programs that are poorly targeted. In terms of the statistical performance of employment under this government, it is woeful—a decade-high unemployment rate, the highest underemployment rate ever measured in this country and a dreadful youth unemployment rate that will scar a generation of people.

I agree with the last speaker that we should not try to make things up; we should not try and engage in empty political rhetoric but we need to look beyond the rhetoric to the evidence. The evidence is damning in government support and the evidence is damning in actual economic statistics. I stand together with the Labor Party supporting jobs, supporting research and development and supporting developing an innovative economy that can compete with the best around the world. Those on the other side stand for a rustbelt economy, an economy concentrating on the farm and the quarry because that is what ultimately they think the Australian workforce should pursue and they will stand condemned in history.

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