Justine Keay (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The people of Braddon voted for more money for schools and hospitals, not banks. Instead of giving $17 billion to the big banks, why won't the Prime Minister support Labor's plan to invest $4½ million in TAZREACH health services, which would mean more Tasmanians can access vital health services?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. I note that I think around 58 more electors in Braddon voted for the Labor Party at the by-election than had at the general election, so there was a very small swing to the Labor Party, but it wasn't a result that would set by-election records, to say the least. But the honourable member is back, and we welcome her back. The honourable member comes back knowing that the Tasmanian economy is doing better now than it has for many years. It's doing better now because of Will Hodgman's Liberal government, because of the pro-business policies that we have delivered and because one small and medium business after another in the electorate of Braddon is investing and employing. In fact in the last monthly jobs figures Tasmania saw an extra 2,100 new jobs. It was a very substantial increase in employment, and it was a result of the encouragement that we are providing to business and investment. We are providing that encouragement, and that is delivering the confidence we're seeing across Tasmania and the honourable member's electorate. I have to say to the honourable member that the greatest threat to the jobs in her electorate would be the election of the party she is a member of to the federal government.