Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer inform the House how the Morrison government's strong economic management is working to produce more jobs for Australian families and small businesses, particularly in my electorate of Berowra? Is the Treasurer aware of any alternative policies?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Berowra for his question and acknowledge his commitment to small business and lower taxes. Indeed, more than 50,000 members in his electorate are getting tax relief as a result of policies that we on this side of the House have supported.

It's easy to forget what the state of the economy was early on in this pandemic in 2020. We saw 1.3 million Australians lose their jobs or see their working hours go to zero. Treasury thought the employment rate could potentially reach as high as 15 per cent. We responded with programs like JobKeeper, which helped save more than 700,000 jobs. Today we have an unemployment rate at a 13-year low of 4.2 per cent, on track, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia, for a 50-year low, with a three in front of it. There are 1.7 million more Australians in work today than when Labor was in office, including one million more women in work today than when Labor was last in office. So we will continue to invest in infrastructure and skills programs and to cut taxes to deliver this strong economy.

Our approach is in stark contrast to that of those opposite, because this Leader of the Opposition has never held a Treasury portfolio. This Leader of the Opposition, this leader of the Labor Party, has never delivered a budget. Indeed, his economic policies consist of a $6 billion cash-splash to pay people who have already had the jab. He wants to support the economic recovery with a national drivers licence as well, and he wants to remove the fuel excise—wait for it!—on electric vehicles. That is the state of the Leader of the Opposition economic roots. There is no excise on electric vehicles. The Leader of the Opposition talks a big game from opposition, but, in government, Labor deliver something very, very different.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

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

Mr Speaker, I realise the target of this lettuce attack is the Leader of the House—

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What is the point of order?

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

but it can't be in order for him to just go on for three minutes, not on his portfolio, with a character attack on me and the Leader of the House. If you won't think of me, think of Peter! He's just sitting there, Mr Speaker.

Andrew Wallace (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Treasurer is in order, and the Treasurer has the call.

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thought he was going to table another set of finger paintings, Mr Speaker! Labor talked today about secure work, but the reality is that, when they were in government, unemployment was 5.7 per cent. It's 4.2 per cent today. The Labor Party talk about high wages. When Labor were last in government, real wages were falling. The Labor Party talk about the cost of living, but electricity prices doubled when Labor were last in government. They talk about lower debt, but they've made more than $90 billion of additional spending promises that aren't funded. They talk about lower taxes, and we know this Leader of the Opposition supported $387 billion of higher taxes at the last election. We on this side of the House stand for more jobs. We on this side of the House stand for lower taxes. The same can't be said about those opposite.