Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Hansard source

Protecting and supporting Australian jobs is the government’s No. 1 priority, and that is why we have moved quickly to boost activity through the $10.4 billion Economic Security Strategy and the $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan. By stimulating aggregate demand, we are supporting jobs in all Australian industries, whether we grow things, whether we make things, whether we manage things or whether we sell things. The government is focused on getting Australians through these difficult times and preparing them for a better future.

Today’s unemployment figures highlight the scale of the challenge we face. The unemployment rate rose from 4.8 per cent to 5.2 per cent in February. This compares with the unemployment rates of 6.3 per cent in the United Kingdom, 8.1 per cent in the United States and 8.2 per cent in the Eurozone. Employment also increased in February, just as it did in December, just as it did in January, defying market expectations. However, the decline in full-time employment is a matter of serious concern to the government. Every job lost is a tragedy, and that is why this government have intervened aggressively to defend Australian workers. There is no question that our actions have buoyed consumption and morale. Westpac described the positive results in the consumer sentiment survey it released this week as:

… a strong vote of confidence that current policies are providing a strong foundation in the longer term.

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