Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I withdraw. We need to cushion the economy’s fall or it will fall much further. We know how hard we have been hit by this global recession. I see it in Western Australia, where we have lost hundreds of jobs already. We have lost 300 from Lennard Shelf and 180 from Cloud Break. We have 300 to 500 projected job losses at Argyle Diamonds. We have already heard about the 1,800 to 3,000 at Ravensthorpe. We have lost 300 at Mount Keith, 400 at Telfer, 190 at Koolan Island, 200 at Wicherina and 70 at Spinifex Ridge. Where are these workers going to go? We need to restimulate and create jobs, and the Rudd government is doing just that. We will create new jobs in communities throughout Australia in local construction, in our schools and through our Investing in Our Schools program. It is a tragedy that so many Australians are losing their jobs, so the Rudd government needs to make no apology for pursuing these policies. When those opposite get their economics straight, they will understand that there are certain times when it is quite fine to move into deficit and support the economy and to stimulate the economy so that it does not fall further. (Time expired)