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

by the previous government. But ultimately it comes down to the prosperity of the Australian people, and the economy today is $68 billion bigger than the economy that we inherited from the Labor Party.

In relation to business surveys, I note that, in the National Australia Bank Monthly Business Survey, business confidence has always been in positive territory since we have been in government. It currently sits at plus one. In Labor's last year of government, business confidence was negative throughout the year. It was negative throughout the year, and it has been up under us ever since we were elected. The same NAB business survey says that business trading conditions sit at plus 20, the second highest level in over seven years. And Dun & Bradstreet noted just a fortnight ago:

… we're seeing robust levels of optimism across all sectors in the Australian business community.

I would be the first to say that we can always do better, because on this side of the parliament we aspire to do the very best by the Australian people.

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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