Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the unemployment rate higher today than when the Liberal government got elected two years ago?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are 335,000 more Australians in jobs now than there were when you were ignominiously tipped out of office.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

You are sensitive, aren't you? You are sensitive about your record—

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order on direct relevance: why won't the Prime Minister admit the real rate of unemployment in this country?

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call. He is confining himself to the topic of unemployment.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are 335,000 more jobs in our economy now than there were when members opposite were ignominiously turfed out. Job creation is now four times the rate that it was when—

Ms Kate Ellis interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Adelaide is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

members opposite were in office. If members opposite were as concerned about jobs as they say, why won't they join this government—

Mr Champion interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Wakefield is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to make it easier for 10,000 jobs to be created in the coal industry in Queensland? If members opposite were as concerned about jobs as they claim, why would the Leader of the Opposition not have stuck by his commitment to the East West Link? I do not know whether I am allowed to call him 'two-faced Bill', so I do not.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will refer to members by their correct titles.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yet again he was in favour of the East West Link, and then he changed his mind on that and 10,000 jobs in Victoria are not being created because—

Ms Ryan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lalor is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

he was not game to stand up to the CFMEU dominated government of Victoria. Yet again, this Leader of the Opposition, this Labor Party, are in thrall to the union bosses and doing the wrong thing by jobs. He always does the wrong thing by workers. We know this because we have seen it in the royal commission that he wants to shut down: example after example after example of this Leader of the Opposition ripping off workers to help himself, ripping off workers to advance his political career. Well, frankly, I think decent, honest members of the Labor Party are awake to this bloke, and decent, honest members of the Labor Party are coming to appreciate that this government are serious when we say that we want to create more jobs. I say to the Leader of the Opposition: it is not too late to redeem yourself. Support our legislation that will make it so much easier for 10,000 jobs to be created in the coal industry in Queensland, for $20 billion worth of investment in coal jobs to go ahead, and for 100 million Indians to get the power, the electricity, the life and the prosperity that they surely yearn for.