Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

It is important to say at the outset that the Australian labour market has a very positive outlook. Our pipeline of resource investment alone stands at $430 billion. Based on my department's estimates, we will need 270,000 more construction and mining workers over the next five years. So there will be an enormous increase in employment in those industries. The massive investment is also leading to record highs in the Australian exchange rate, and this is having an impact on trade exposed industries, including manufacturing, tourism and international education. We understand the pressures that this is causing in the economy and that the outcomes are a reflection of genuine structural adjustments occurring in the economy. That is why the government is absolutely focused on jobs as being the core part of its response. We are absolutely focused on making sure that Australians continue to get opportunities to take new jobs in the growing economy. (Time expired)