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

My question is to the Prime Minister. If the last two years have been about jobs and growth, why are 30,000 more Western Australians unemployed, compared to when the Prime Minister was elected?

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

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

Isn't this more evidence of a chaotic government with no plan for jobs?

Mr Hockey interjecting—

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

The Treasurer will cease interjecting.

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

Members opposite were so interested in jobs in Western Australia that they hit Western Australia with a mining tax and a carbon tax. That is what members opposite thought of jobs in Western Australia—they wanted to clobber them with a mining tax and a carbon tax. Thanks to this government, the mining tax is gone, the carbon tax is gone and, thanks in part to what this government has done, our economy has 335,000 more jobs overall than it did when members opposite left.

I am not saying that it is all the good work of this government. Yes, it is the good work of decent Australian workers. It is the good work of decent Australian businesses—but this government is open to business. This government wants to encourage the workers of Australia to have a go. I tell you what this government will never do. We will never conspire with the Greens to close down the Carmichael mine, to stop it ever happening. We will never conspire with the Greens to stop the East West Link and kill 10,000 jobs in Victoria. We will never conspire with the CFMEU to stop the China free trade agreement. We are better than that. We trust the Australian people. We respect the Australian workers. That is why our economy is now creating jobs at four times the rate that it did when members opposite were last in charge.

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

I seek leave to table the data which shows there are 30,000 more unemployed West Australian since the Prime Minister got elected.

Leave not granted.