Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Analysis of OECD data issued last week shows that under the Albanese Labor government Australians have experienced a bigger collapse in living standards than any other advanced country. Why are Australians paying the price for a distracted Prime Minister failing to focus on the real issues affecting Australians?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow Treasurer for his question. I'm not sure in what capacity he has asked me given I am now representing the Treasurer. I just thought I might do him a favour—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! There is far too much noise. The member for Hume was heard in silence.

Order! The member for Hume has asked his question. The same courtesy will be shown to the Prime Minister.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thought it might be an opportunity for him to get his numbers up of a question to the Treasurer—that's all. It was just a missed opportunity.

I have already spoken about the jobs that we have created. Let's compare our economy. I am asked about international comparisons to our economy and how it is going.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for La Trobe is now warned.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our unemployment rate is 3.6 per cent, lower than what we inherited. Our participation rate is 66.7 per cent, higher than what we inherited. Our gender pay gap is 13 per cent, lower than what we inherited. The number of women employed full time is 3.8 million, higher than what we inherited. Manufacturing jobs are at 948,000. That's higher than what we inherited. Long-term unemployed are 108,000. That's lower than what we inherited. For industrial disputes, there were 10,200 days lost over the quarter up to June. That's lower than what we inherited. That is the position that we have presided over.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The members for Casey and Fadden will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Indeed, something that will be of interest to the former energy minister: the wholesale electricity prices in the September quarter were $63 compared with $264.

The other figure the shadow Treasurer won't want to hear is the $22 billion surplus that we produced as opposed to the $78 billion under those opposite.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for O'Connor will cease interjecting.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They asked questions about that of the new RBA governor, and this is what she had to say at estimates just a couple of weeks ago:

… what we're observing is that we're being assisted … by the fact that the government has taken the cyclical benefits of the budget banked them.

She went on to say:

I think that's very positive. For us, if it was being spent that might be an issue, but it's not being spent, it's being banked. So I think that's very helpful.

… … …

I actually think that what they're doing at the moment is good.

That was in response to questions from the ever-helpful Senator Hume, who complains sometimes that the Senate actually sits. That was the question from Senator Hume going forward, and that was the response of the RBA governor.