Andrew Nikolic (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer explain how the passage of key small business measures will help create jobs, growth and opportunity in our economy?

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for Bass for that fine question. Why? Because he knows how important it is that we create jobs, that we help business to employ more people.

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lalor is not in her seat and may not speak.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In fact, the member for Bass asked me to acknowledge the Mayor of Launceston who is up in the gallery. Launceston is a great city. The good news is that the unemployment rate in Tasmania has been falling since we came to government. When we came to government, when the member for Bass was elected, the unemployment rate in Tasmania was nearly eight per cent. It has fallen to seven per cent. It is still too high, but it is heading in the right direction and our policies are helping. There is no doubt about that. When you get to that point in Tasmania every single job matters. The member for Bass has pointed out that he spoke to Rod Patterson, the franchisee of Autobarn in Launceston. We know there has been a change of the state government in Tasmania—hooray for that. Rod Patterson said to the honourable member, 'I just thought you would like to know that, because of recent decisions made both federally and in the state, Autobarn Launceston increased our employees by one additional staff member just yesterday.'

Opposition members interjecting—

The Labor Party are disparaging of that one additional job. That is typical Labor. That one additional job—

Opposition members interjecting—

Yes, it is so disparaging. That gentleman named Colin is 52 years of age—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Griffith and Wakefield will leave under standing order 94(a).

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That man is getting back into work. He is in his second week of his job and he is having a go and Autobarn in Launceston is having a go. They are doing so on the back of the initiatives we put in the budget that focus on giving everyone a chance to invest more in their business: through the $20,000 instant asset write-off, by cutting the income tax for businesses—cutting it by 1.5 per cent for companies and up to $1,000 for unincorporated businesses—

Opposition members interjecting—

There seems to be a bit of confusion over there, Madam Speaker.

Honourable members interjecting—

The member for Griffith then left the chamber.

The member for Wakefield then left the chamber.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, did you just eject members of the opposition for applauding in parliament? Is three people applauding somehow different to what we saw there, led by the Prime Minister?

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, it was.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because you are allowed to be applauding the government—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member will resume his seat. The Treasurer has the call.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There were lots of Australians applauding last night when they saw the back of the Labor government. This guy gets best supporting actor in a tragedy—hopeless! The only people standing up for the people of Australia are the coalition. The only people standing up for the jobs of everyday Australians are the coalition government.