Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party, Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

and many of those jobs, potentially, are going to young people. That is why we are reducing red tape—to free up businesses to do what they do best, to get on and deliver services to their customers and, in doing so, employ more young Australians. That is why we are entering into a free trade agreement—to provide export opportunities to create more jobs. We are absolutely committed to the free trade agreement, and that is why we are cracking down on the lawlessness in the building industry. Why should our construction costs be 30 per cent higher than they need to be? It is because the members opposite have their strings tugged by the good old members of the CFMEU and all their other union backers.

We are serious about ensuring that we have an efficient, effective construction sector that can offer more apprenticeships, that can offer more traineeships and that can offer more opportunities for young people. Those opposite are about marching to the tune of their union mates. This government, since we have been elected, has created some 467,000 jobs and at a rate faster than those on the other side of the House when they were last in government. But youth unemployment is a vitally important issue that we are absolutely addressing, and the PaTH program is a unique program showing the quantum of this government's commitment—$750 million—showing the expansiveness of this program—some 120,000 participants.

This can make a real difference to the level of youth unemployment in this country by giving young people the skills that will make them employable, by taking away the risk to employers, by allowing them to put on a young person through an internship system, by providing financial support to employers to participate, helping offset the cost of the supervision that a young person will need when they are first in the workplace and that all-important wage subsidy to bridge the productivity gap when the young person goes into the workforce. It is an excellent program.

But what do we hear from the members opposite? Negative carping and just being the mouthpiece for their union mates, rather than coming on board. I think this program is a game changer. I think this is going to mean many more young people in work, many more young people moving on to bigger and better things in their career. What we want to see is young people getting that first step into the labour market. We want to see them have the opportunity to get that very first job and keep that job, so that they can enjoy the benefits that work can bring.

It is not just about the money. It is about the self-esteem that comes from having a job. It is not just about the money. It is about being able to hold your head up high and say: 'I have a job. I am contributing to the economy. I can make my own financial decisions. I need not be dependent on the welfare system.' The welfare system should be a safety net not a destination for our young people. We are absolutely committed to addressing the issue of youth unemployment, and the PaTH program is a very dynamic and very effective program that is going to assist a lot of young people.

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