Luke Howarth (Petrie, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Youth and Employment Services) Share this | Hansard source

I say to the Leader of the Opposition: if you want to be on the side of the Australian people during this global pandemic, you should support our legislation that will help more people into work, reduce underemployment and reduce casualisation. Australians can have confidence in the Morrison government. We have a plan. As we've shown through the pandemic, with the support of the Australian people we have been able to regrow jobs, boost wages and enhance productivity. We have supported secure jobs and secure pay so that Australians can buy their first home, can raise their families and can plan for their retirement. Today I was talking to one of the staff in this building. She is right now buying her first home. I am so pleased for her. That's what we want to see for all young Australians—more people getting into their own place, having secure jobs and not being reliant on government. We've heard the fear campaign from the Labor opposition right through question time this week, during this very tough time not only around the world but in Australia.

In the same way Australians have so successfully approached the pandemic, it is a fact—and the early signs are encouraging—that, over the last seven months, 748,500 jobs have returned to the economy. That is just fantastic. I thank all those employers who employed those almost 750,000 people. I believe we can do a lot more. There's more to be done. The unemployment rate is down from 7½ per cent in July last year to 6.6 per cent in December. Employment has increased by 50,000 people and the participation rate is at a record high. More people are wanting to participate in the workplace right now.

With wage subsidies and the Morrison government's JobKeeper, the government kept over 3.8 million Australians in work and a further 117,000 people in training. But of course there is more to do. The government are constructive and pragmatic, and when it comes to industrial relations policy we will continue to work together to bring people together and not divide them, like those opposite. When I was a small business owner I had never had a government job or worked in any form of government. I had always worked in small business. I understand how businesses and their employees are being turned upside down.

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