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

In fact, the member for Bass asked me to acknowledge the Mayor of Launceston who is up in the gallery. Launceston is a great city. The good news is that the unemployment rate in Tasmania has been falling since we came to government. When we came to government, when the member for Bass was elected, the unemployment rate in Tasmania was nearly eight per cent. It has fallen to seven per cent. It is still too high, but it is heading in the right direction and our policies are helping. There is no doubt about that. When you get to that point in Tasmania every single job matters. The member for Bass has pointed out that he spoke to Rod Patterson, the franchisee of Autobarn in Launceston. We know there has been a change of the state government in Tasmania—hooray for that. Rod Patterson said to the honourable member, 'I just thought you would like to know that, because of recent decisions made both federally and in the state, Autobarn Launceston increased our employees by one additional staff member just yesterday.'

Opposition members interjecting—

The Labor Party are disparaging of that one additional job. That is typical Labor. That one additional job—

Opposition members interjecting—

Yes, it is so disparaging. That gentleman named Colin is 52 years of age—

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