Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Government Service Delivery) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Cameron for that question. The Liberal and National party senators on the other side of the chamber moan and groan when they hear a question about the stimulus package because deep down they know that they were wrong to oppose it 12 months ago and they know they are wrong to oppose it today. The Australian public will remember that they voted against it six times in this chamber. If we stopped the stimulus right now, the economy would be whiplashed into recession. One hundred thousand Australians would lose their jobs. Thousands of small businesses would fold or go bankrupt. Tradespeople, apprentices and contractors would go bankrupt, or lose their jobs, and be left in the lurch. Thousands of schools would be left without completed facilities. Some 5,000 schools across the country would miss out on Building the Education Revolution programs if Liberal and National party senators ever got control of government.

It is now 12 months since the stimulus package got underway and this program has required a national effort. It brought federal, state and local government together, along with businesses, unions and community groups, pulling together to support Australian jobs and businesses. One year on, it is clear that the stimulus has worked and continues to work. When you drive past your local school and see the building work happening on the school premises, that is the stimulus at work. Seventy one per cent of the stimulus is now underway and over half of the $42 billion package has been spent supporting jobs and laying the foundation for growth. (Time expired)