Arthur Sinodinos (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Great depth in our frontbench! I refer the minister to the fact that many economies in Asia are enjoying lower rates of unemployment than Australia's current rate of 5.1 per cent including Taiwan and Japan at 4.3; China at 4.1; Hong Kong at 3.2; South Korea at 3.1; Vietnam at 2.3; and Singapore at two per cent. Why does the government persist in comparing Australia's economic performance to economies in Europe and North America as an illustration of the Australian economy's strength—as per the minister's Lateline interview on 28 August—but will not compare our performance to the rapidly growing economies in our own region?