Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

It is very broad, Mr Speaker. It's a question for every day the Treasurer sits there and he expects to get a question and it just never happens. Maybe when we get back that will happen. I live in hope!

Of course, there was an increase in the unemployment rate today to 3.7 per cent, up from 3.5. I do note that that is still lower than the unemployment rate than we inherited when he came to office. I do note also that there were more jobs created on our watch in our first six months than under any government in history—any government in history! If you go back to any new government, no government presided over the creation of more jobs than we did.

I'm asked as well about debt—from the mob that left us a trillion dollars of debt with nothing to show for it! And then you have our programs, like the National Reconstruction Fund. That is supported by industry, supported by workers and will be a great example of new industry policy creating new industries—particularly in the regions, allowing us to deal with the constraints that are there in supply chains. But those opposite are opposing it.

And then you have the safeguard mechanism, where once again they're just opposing it. Well, this is what Innes Willox, the Chief Executive of Ai Group—manufacturers—said today: 'A form of political extremism is at play here. It has cost us before and it could cost us again.' That is what the Australian Industry Group have had to say.

Andrew McKellar, the head of ACCI—again, not an affiliate—said:

This is not the time for another climate war—

once again being negative—

For the sake of certainty and the achievement of our emissions reduction goals, the Safeguard Mechanism must pass parliament.

…   …   …   

Past failure to deal with this reality has crimped certainty for industry and investors, and left our energy sector in disarray.

I wonder who the energy minister was?

Australian businesses and households are now paying the price.

Indeed they are! (Time expired)

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