Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is again to the Prime Minister, and I refer the Prime Minister to his previous answer. Why is the Prime Minister so confident that the $42 billion package will support 90,000 jobs, given that when he was asked earlier today whether the December cash splash had created any jobs at all, he said, ‘It was too early to tell?’

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government embraced the Economic Security Strategy last October; payments flowed through in December with the object of supporting consumption, in particular for the retail sector. This was at a time when retail sales across the Western world went through the floor. If you look, however, at what happened in the December quarter last year, data produced by the ABS show that retail trade rose by 3.8 per cent. I would ask honourable members to reflect on where retail sales around the world went in the December quarter last year. Furthermore, all industries had increased sales in December 2008—food retailing, 1.4; department stores, plus 8.3; clothing and soft-good retailing up 5.8; household-good retailing up 9.9; and other retailing, 2.6. Where it is actually apposite is data that I have referred to in this House before from Westfield, which, as you know, is represented both in Australia and in the United States. The Westfield data showed that spending in December 2008 was up 2.5 per cent from the previous year, in contrast with their overseas sales, which were down 14 per cent in the United States.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, my point of order is on relevance. I have listened carefully and I have not heard the Prime Minister utter the word ‘job’ yet.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There is no point of order.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the question of the impact of the government’s measures, I would have thought that the Leader of the Opposition would have equated performance in the retail sector with jobs. I know that might be a novel concept for the Leader of the Opposition. With collapsing sales, as has been the case in America, Britain and elsewhere in the retail sector, the huge impact is on employment in those economies and that is already being seen. What we have done is taken action in that sector in order to support the retail community, as reflected by so many of the peak bodies from across that sector and beyond. These are practical steps which have been taken by the government with one objective: to reduce the unemployment impact, which would otherwise flow from the global economic recession. Again, I go back to the alternative: you can have a Nation Building and Jobs Plan aimed at reducing the impact of the global recession on the Australian economy and on families or the Liberal alternative, which is to let the free market rip. We have a strategy; you have an excuse.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister inform the House of how the Australian government will help support those workers who lose their jobs due to the impact of the global recession?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is unfortunate about the tonality of the formal contributions and the interjections from those opposite is they seem to delight in the economic pain of others. I would suggest to those opposite that rather than see economic trouble as equalling a political opportunity, they might contribute instead to a positive strategy to reduce the impact on families from this global economic recession, and those whose jobs are under threat through no cause associated with themselves, through no fault of their own.

The government’s Nation Building and Jobs Plan aims to do three things. Firstly, it aims to ensure the continued stability of the Australian financial sector—the double bank guarantees which we supported and those opposite in substance opposed. Secondly, there is the $42 billion plan to boost investment in critical infrastructure, including schools and housing, in order to provide jobs in the near term and important infrastructure which we need for the long term. The third part of what we are seeking to do is to support those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. That underpins the announcements made by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and me today here in Canberra.

Firstly, we have announced an additional $219 million to be invested in employment services. This investment will ensure that workers made redundant receive personalised assistance and advice to help them find work as soon as possible. Under the changes, a newly redundant worker will have immediate access to intensive job assistance, equivalent to what is referred to as ‘stream 2 services’, such as: a comprehensive skills assessment, skills development training, IT support and stationery support to help with job applications, targeted referral to appropriate education and training and $550 of credit to the Employment Pathway Fund to pay for items such as computer courses, heavy vehicle licences, safety boots and uniforms.

Secondly, in addition, we have today announced that we will be providing 10,000 new structural adjustment places for retrenched workers through the Productivity Places Program at a cost of $75 million. These certificate III and IV places are additional to the 701,000 places we have already committed through this program. The announcements we have made today build on this commitment and will benefit up to 58,000 out-of-trade apprentices and trainees. The key thing here is to assist people who are finding it difficult to retain their traineeship or apprenticeship under current circumstances.

Thirdly, employees and group training organisations which take an out-of-trade apprentice may be entitled to receive up to an additional $2,800 per apprentice. An additional $1,800 is available for employers to group training organisations taking on an eligible out-of-trade apprentice or trainee. These are three practical measures. The third of them was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister last week. The two that I referred to at the beginning of my remarks were announced by the Deputy Prime Minister, the minister for employment and me today. What are they designed to do? They are designed to provide further forms of practical support for those who lose their jobs or whose opportunity for traineeships or apprenticeships are being undermined by the global economic recession.

The government remains resolved to take further action as is necessary to support people and families who are at risk as a consequence of the global economic recession’s impact on them, their families and their jobs. We have a positive plan to support these people under these circumstances as opposed to the alternative, which seems to be a consistent threat of argument from those opposite: do nothing and complain about everything.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that the member opposite be asked to withdraw that, please.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Regrettably, I am in the position of having heard the word but not really clearly knowing which member actually used the word.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! I do not think that it assists the conduct of the House. On this occasion, because I am in this position, I regrettably have to let it ride.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Pyne interjecting

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, I am not going to repeat the word. I do not think that assists. If the honourable member for Sturt wants to take the position seriously that he carries out on behalf of the opposition, that sort of thing does not assist. If whichever member used the word will not come up and withdraw, regrettably I have to leave it at that. In the absence of the member coming forward to withdraw, I will continue with the proceedings. I call the member for Farrer.