Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The end of March was a very important point in Australia. It was the end of JobKeeper. When I saw the figures for unemployment come in for April, that unemployment had actually dropped by another 0.2 per cent, it put pay to a few predictions that had been made in this place before the end of March—the last time we were here, in fact. It's wonderful news, of course, but it's worth pointing out that the member for Rankin said, when quoting a Gold Coast tourism business and speaking of the end of JobKeeper: 'What is the point of bringing everyone safely across the desert just to drop us off the cliff?'

Then, at another time, he said, 'Any job losses which flow from the cuts to JobKeeper at the end of the month and subsequent months will be on their heads,' meaning the heads of those in government.

It's a reality that if you cut JobKeeper in these uncertain times you cut jobs. It's as simple as that. Unfortunately, when it comes down to it, too many Australians will graduate into joblessness and onto the JobSeeker payment because of the actions taken of those opposite. It's worth noting that the member for Whitlam said, 'This bloke'—speaking of the Prime Minister—'doesn't have a clue about what he's going to do with the 1½ million Australians either out of work or looking for work.' The number is going to be added to by another 100,000 in a few weeks to come. I could go on and on. I spoke to the member for Boothby at the time and said, 'We should take note of these.' It proves that they're not Nostradamus; they're Cassandra.

See this speech in context