Terri Butler (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Water) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Last night 10 news revealed the Prime Minister plans to sack the education minister after parliament rises this week. Can the Prime Minister confirm his government is falling down around him with cabinet leaks, damaging text message leaks and even the sacking of ministers now being leaked to undermine the Prime Minister?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have no intention of responding in relation to inaccurate reports in the media. I've been taking the matter that the member refers to extremely seriously, and I don't think it's a matter that should be trivialised in the way that those opposite are seeking to do. The matter is in progress; it has not concluded. I think it is only reasonable and fair to all those, including the minister and others who are involved in this matter, that I not make any further comment on that process until it is concluded.

I've been asked more generally about matters. What our government is focused on is three very important things. The first is keeping our economy strong in the middle of a one-in-100-year pandemic. Our economy, with the unemployment rate going to below four per cent for the first time in 50 years, with some 1.1 million jobs created since the pandemic hit, with some 11.5 million Australians benefiting from tax relief, with some 700,000 jobs saved specifically through JobKeeper—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. 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

It goes to relevance. The question did go to a serious issue: the issue of the leaking of cabinet is a really serious issue. It's actually a criminal offence. It's more like a dam wall bursting over there, and that's what the question went to.

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

The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. Part of the question was extremely broad. I don't write the questions. Part of the question was extremely broad. I can't direct the Prime Minister to just answer one part of the question. It was multipronged, and the Prime Minister is able to answer the question. He is relevant, and I ask him to return to the dispatch box.

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In addition to those 700,000 jobs that were saved through JobKeeper, as the minister for trade has just been pointing out, our government has been expanding the borders of our own trade around the world, mostly recently with the United Kingdom. Over 70 per cent—some 71.3 per cent—of our trade in exports is now covered by free trade agreements.

When we came to government, there were some 647,000 female business operators in this country. Today there are 815,600 female business operators, and there are a million more women in work today than when the Labor Party last sat on these benches. There are 220,000 trade apprentices in training today—the highest level we have seen since 1963. In addition to that, we're supporting manufacturing businesses to boost our sovereign capability. There are some 5,054 grants worth over $2 billion which have been supporting manufacturing businesses since we came to government, ensuring that manufacturing employment in this country and manufacturing capability are being expanded.

Electricity prices have come down by over five per cent in the last year and over eight per cent—

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

The member for Griffith is warned!

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

over the last two years. The other projections we've had to keep Australians safe through this pandemic, to keep Australia safe in one of the most dangerous global times we have seen—and standing up for Australia, unlike those opposite, who are the preferred choice of a government who has been coercing Australia.